SEOUL — Hyundai Motor and Kia reported a slight decline in U.S. vehicle sales in April, though hybrid demand climbed to a new monthly high for the South Korean automakers.
The companies sold a combined 159,216 vehicles in the U.S. market during the month, down 2.1% from a year earlier.
Hyundai Motor sold 86,513 units, a 1.5% decline from the prior year. Its luxury brand Genesis sold 6,356 vehicles, up 0.8%. Kia’s sales fell 2.8% to 72,703 units.
The companies attributed the overall decline to a high base from last year, when U.S. sales surged as customers rushed to buy vehicles ahead of Washington’s auto tariffs.
Sales of eco-friendly vehicles, including electric vehicles, rose 47.6% from a year earlier to 48,425 units. Hybrid sales increased 57.8%, marking the strongest growth among the segment, as demand shifted following the U.S. government’s decision to end EV tax credits.
Electric vehicle sales rose 7.7% to 7,186 units.
Separately, online shopping sales in South Korea rose 13.3% from a year earlier in March to a record monthly high, supported by strong demand for Tesla vehicles and food-service transactions.
The value of online shopping reached 25.58 trillion won, or about $17.37 billion, up 3.03 trillion won from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. It was the highest monthly level since the ministry began compiling the data in 2017.
Spending on automobiles and auto accessories surged 109.9% from a year earlier, helped by Tesla models sold through online ordering systems. Food-service sales rose 14.2%, while food and beverage sales increased 13.3%.
Purchases made through smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices rose 11.6% to 19.4 trillion won, also setting a new record. (Source: IANS)
