Hyundai Motor, Kia hit record 11.3% U.S. market share

Hyundai Motor Group CI

Hyundai Motor Group achieved a record-high market share in the United States last year, as restrained price hikes and expanded local production helped offset high tariffs and slowing demand, analysts said.

According to market research firm Wards Intelligence on Sunday, Hyundai Motor and Kia sold a combined 1,836,172 vehicles in the U.S. in 2025, securing a market share of 11.3 percent. Hyundai Motor accounted for 6.1 percent, or 984,017 units, while Kia posted 5.2 percent, or 852,155 vehicles.

It marked the first time Hyundai Motor Group’s annual U.S. market share surpassed 11 percent since entering the American market in 1986. By brand ranking, the group placed fourth, trailing General Motors with 17.5 percent, Toyota with 15.5 percent and Ford with 13.1 percent.

Growth momentum stood out as well. While the overall U.S. auto market expanded by just 2.4 percent year on year, Hyundai Motor and Kia posted a combined sales increase of 7.5 percent, more than three times the market average. The only brand to record a higher growth rate than Hyundai Motor Group was Toyota, which logged growth of 8 percent.

Industry watchers say the performance reflects Hyundai’s decision not to pass the burden of high import tariffs on to consumers. The group adopted a cautious pricing strategy, closely monitoring market demand and competitors’ moves before making adjustments.

By maintaining price competitiveness while some rivals raised prices due to tariff pressures, Hyundai Motor Group was able to absorb additional demand. The Hyundai Elantra, sold as the Avante in South Korea, has recorded cumulative U.S. sales of 4,010,661 units since its debut in 1991 through December last year, becoming the first Korean model to surpass four million units sold in the U.S. The Elantra’s U.S. sticker price stands at around $22,000, making it more competitively priced than rivals such as the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

Expanded local production also played a key role in strengthening market responsiveness. Last year, Hyundai Motor Group reduced vehicle exports from South Korea to the U.S. by 4.2 percent from a year earlier, while reinforcing its local manufacturing footprint. The group completed construction of its Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia and plans to boost its annual U.S. production capacity from about 700,000 vehicles to more than 1.2 million units.