Korea¡¯s auto sales in August up 12% on yr thanks to strong US and Europe demand

Auto shipments of five Korea-based car manufacturers kept up growth on year last month for two consecutive months after strong exports more than offset the weak demand at home.

The five carmakers – Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Corp., GM Korea Co., Renault Korea Motors Co. and SsangYong Motor Co. – sold a combined 615,186 vehicles in August, up 11.8 percent from a year ago, according to their respective data on Thursday.

Sales at home dropped 1.1 percent on year to 105,091 units on a fall in working days in the summer vacation season, while outbound shipments grew 14.8 percent to 510,095 units.

All five makers saw their shipments rise on year last month on the back of strong sales abroad.

The country¡¯s largest automaker Hyundai Motor delivered total 334,794 units, up 11.6 percent from a year earlier. Domestic sales fell 3.5 percent to 49,224 units, but overseas sales gained 14.7 percent to 285,570 units on a 13.5 percent rise in sales in the U.S.

The large sedan Grandeur sold the largest 4,606 units, becoming the best-selling model of the brand at home. The mid sedan Sonata sold the second-largest 4,332 units, Palisade 3,269 units, Casper 3,302 units, Santa Fe 2,534 units, Avante 2,406 units, Ioniq 5 1,998 units, and Tucson 1,962 units.

Luxury marque Genesis sold 9,617 units in total – 2,422 units of the G90, 3,080 units of the G80, 1,493 units of the GV80, 2,004 units of the GV70 and 260 units of the GV60.

Kia sold total 239,887 units last month, gaining 10.4 percent from the previous year. It reported sales growth both at home and abroad. Domestic added 1 percent to 41,404 units, and outbound shipments jumped 12.6 percent to 198,483 units. Sales in the U.S. were upped 22.4 percent to 66,089 units.

The Sportage sold the most 39,281 units globally, followed by the Seltos with 26,097 units and K3 (known as Forte) with 19,776 units.

Hyundai Motor and Kia¡¯s combined sales in the U.S. totaled 135,526 units after gaining 17.7 percent on year, the first increase after losses for the past five months. Their eco-friendly vehicle sales also grew 79.3 percent to 14,903 units, with electric vehicle sales more than doubled to 4,078 units.

SsangYong Motor under the new ownership of KG Group said its vehicle sales soared 38 percent on year to total 10,675 units. It sold 6,923 units at home, surging 42.4 percent on year thanks to robust sales of its new Torres SUV officially released in early July. Overseas sales also expanded 30.5 percent to 3,752 units.

GM Korea under U.S. automaker General Motors shipped 18,208 vehicles, up 9.6 percent on year, as its outbound shipments grew 23.1 percent to 14,618 units. Sales at home slipped 24.3 percent to 3,590 units.

Renault Korea Motors, the South Korean operation of French carmaker Renault S.A., sold 11,622 units, up 31.4 percent. Exports shot up 80.9 percent to 7,672 units, while local sales declined 14.2 percent to 3,950 units.

Europe-bound XM3 (known as Renault New Arkana) was shipped out total 5,968 units, of which 3,602 units or 60 percent were the hybrid version coming out this fall in Korea.

[¨Ï Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]