Hyundai Motor sales fall in the 6% range, while Kia posts eighth straight month of growth ... October sales paint a mixed picture

[Financial News] Hyundai Motor and Kia posted divergent global sales results for October 2026. Hyundai Motor sold 329,773 vehicles, down 6.3% from a year earlier, as sales declined both in Korea and overseas. Kia, meanwhile, sold 291,219 vehicles, up 10.3%, buoyed by a 27.5% surge in domestic sales, extending its growth streak to eight consecutive months.
Hyundai Motor said on the 2nd that it sold a total of 329,773 vehicles worldwide in October 2026, down 6.3% from the same month a year earlier, including 49,042 in Korea and 280,731 overseas. Compared with the same period last year, domestic sales fell 8.9% and overseas sales declined 5.9%.
In Korea, sedan sales totaled 17,228, including 6,989 Hyundai Grandeurs, 5,730 Hyundai Elantras and 3,894 Hyundai Sonatas. RV sales totaled 15,673, including 3,322 Hyundai Palisades, 2,605 Hyundai Konas and 2,469 Hyundai Santa Fes.
Small commercial vehicle sales totaled 7,689, including 3,967 Hyundai Porters and 3,582 Hyundai Starias. Medium- and large-sized buses and trucks accounted for a total of 2,510 sales. GENESIS, the luxury brand, sold 5,942 vehicles, including 2,124 Genesis G80s, 1,814 GV80s and 1,463 Genesis GV70s.
A Hyundai Motor representative said, “We will respond flexibly to changes in demand based on a product portfolio optimized for regional market conditions and a range of powertrains.” The representative added, “We will strengthen our mid- to long-term competitiveness by improving production efficiency and expanding sales of new models, including the Hyundai Tucson and GV80 Hybrid.”
Kia sold 291,219 vehicles in the global market in October 2026, up 10.3% from the same period a year earlier. The total comprised 51,007 vehicles in Korea, 239,308 overseas and 904 special-purpose vehicles. Compared with the same period last year, domestic sales rose 27.5% and overseas sales increased 7.2%.
By model, the Kia Sportage was the global bestseller with 56,811 units, followed by the Kia Seltos with 38,368 and the Kia Sorento with 20,021.
In Korea, the Kia Sportage was the top seller with 7,708 units. Passenger car sales totaled 11,116, including 4,497 Kia Rays, 2,683 Kia K5s and 1,495 Kia Picantos. RV sales totaled 34,373, including the Sportage, 6,784 Kia Sorentos, 5,570 Kia Carnivals and 4,816 Kia Seltoses. Commercial vehicle sales totaled 5,518, including 2,704 Kia Bongo IIIs and 2,688 Kia PV5s.
Overseas, the Kia Sportage was the top seller with 49,103 units, followed by the Kia Seltos with 33,552 and the Kia K4 with 18,720. A total of 904 special-purpose vehicles were sold, including 103 in Korea and 801 overseas.
A Kia representative said, “We have continued to post year-over-year sales growth for eight consecutive months through sales strategies tailored to regional demand.” The representative added, “For the rest of the fourth quarter, we will continue to build sales momentum around electrified vehicles, including hybrids in the United States and electric vehicles in Europe.”
[email protected] Kim Dong-chan Reporter