Hyundai Motor and Kia are continuing to grow steadily in the U.S. market. By the end of this year, they are projected to achieve cumulative sales of 30 million vehicles.
As of February, Hyundai and Kia had sold 29,303,995 vehicles in the U.S. since entering the market in 1986. This figure includes 17,116,065 Hyundai vehicles and 12,187,930 Kia vehicles.
Last year, the two companies set record sales numbers, with Hyundai selling 911,805 vehicles and Kia 796,488. As a result, Hyundai and Kia ranked fourth in overall sales in the U.S. for the second consecutive year, following General Motors, Toyota, and Ford.
With their strong product offerings and flexible production systems, Hyundai and Kia plan to enhance their market presence and reach the 30 million cumulative sales milestone this year.
Hyundai entered the U.S. market in January 1986 with the small sedan Excel produced at its Ulsan plant. In 2005, it established its first local production facility in Alabama, solidifying its manufacturing base.
Kia launched its U.S. sales subsidiary in 1992 and began selling the Sephia and Sportage models in 1994. In 2006, it built a factory in West Point, Georgia, which was completed in 2010.
The two companies surpassed cumulative sales of 1 million vehicles in 1990, 5 million in 2004, 10 million in 2011, and over 20 million in 2018. Notably, it took 25 years to exceed the first 10 million sales but only 7 years to surpass 20 million, demonstrating rapid growth.
For Hyundai, the best-selling model in the U.S. market is the Elantra—also known as the Avante in Korea—which has sold a cumulative 3.88 million units since its launch in 1991. Following the Elantra is the Sonata with 3.42 million units, Santa Fe with 2.38 million units, and Tucson with 1.87 million units sold.
Kia’s best-selling model since 2002 is the Sorento, with cumulative sales of 1.83 million units. It is followed by the Sportage, with 1.66 million units; the Soul, with 1.52 million units; and the K5, with 1.5 million units.
Unlike in their early years, Hyundai and Kia have diversified their offerings, focusing on SUVs, Genesis models, and eco-friendly vehicles, which has enhanced their profitability.
Hyundai offers a full SUV lineup, including the Venue, Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe, and Palisade. At the same time, Kia focuses on SUVs like the Seltos, Niro, Sportage, Sorento, and Telluride to strengthen its market competitiveness. As a result, last year, Hyundai and Kia sold 1,284,066 SUVs, accounting for over 75% of their total sales.
The premium brand Genesis continues to grow. In its first year in the U.S. market, Genesis sold 6,948 units. Since then, it has shown steady growth, recording 75,003 units in 2023, thanks to strong sales of the GV70 and GV80. This marks the first time it has surpassed 70,000 units in annual sales.
Hyundai and Kia are also actively transitioning to electrification. After entering the electric vehicle (EV) market with the Kia Soul EV in 2014 and the Hyundai Ioniq EV in 2017, they recorded annual EV sales of 19,590 units in 2021, expanding their presence.
In 2022, they launched EVs like the Ioniq 5, EV6, G80 electrified model, and GV60, based on the E-General Motors platform. They achieved a 337.5% increase in EV sales compared to the previous year, with 58,028 units sold. In 2023, sales reached 94,340 units, and in 2024, they expect to exceed 123,861 units, marking their first annual sales of over 100,000 units.
Hyundai and Kia have also received high-quality evaluations in the U.S. market. Over the past five years, four models have been named North American Car of the Year: the Telluride in 2020, the Elantra in 2021, the EV6 in 2023, and the EV9 in 2024.
At the 2025 J.D. Power Residual Value Awards, the Knona Electric won in the electrified SUV category, while the Telluride won in the three-row midsize SUV category.
Looking ahead, Hyundai and Kia plan to expand their product lineup, enhance quality, and quickly adapt to the evolving U.S. market. Their Georgia Meta Plant America, which began mass production last October, will play a key role in producing EVs and next-generation models.
