COVID-19 Shock... Hyundai Kia Motors' US March Sales Plunge 31%

Hyundai Motor Sold 36,087 Units in the US Last Month...42.4% Decrease

Kia Telluride (Photo by Kia)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Hyundai Kia Motors' rapid growth in the U.S. market has come to a halt. Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the U.S., sales in the American market dropped by more than 30% compared to the same period last year.

According to Hyundai Motor America (HMA) on the 2nd, Hyundai sold 36,087 units in the U.S. last March, including the Genesis brand, down 42.4% from the same period last year. During the same period, Kia sold 45,413 units, a decrease of 18.6% compared to last year. Previously, in February, Hyundai Kia Motors achieved the highest-ever February sales in the U.S. market by selling 106,777 units, but their momentum stopped within a month.

The sport utility vehicles (SUVs), which had been the driving force behind Hyundai Kia Motors' U.S. performance rebound since last year, were not spared from the adverse effects of COVID-19. Last month, Hyundai's Santa Fe and Tucson sales dropped by more than 30% compared to the same period last year, recording 6,358 and 6,073 units respectively. The Kona sold 3,874 units last month, cutting its sales in half compared to the same period last year. The large SUV Palisade, which had maintained steady popularity since its North American launch in mid-last year, sold only 3,934 units last month, a 43.5% decrease from the previous month’s 6,967 units.

The eco-friendly Ioniq recorded 763 units sold last month, a sharp decline of 42.3% compared to the same period last year.

Randy Parker, Vice President of Sales at Hyundai Motor America, said, "The whole world is facing an enormous challenge that greatly impacts business and our daily lives. Hyundai prioritizes the safety of our employees, dealers, customers, and communities, and we are doing everything we can to support them."

In the case of Kia, sales of most models also declined last month, resulting in an 18.6% decrease compared to the previous year. However, the North America-exclusive large SUV Telluride was the only model to increase sales, with 5,153 units sold.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.