May 08, 2024

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Sales of diesel cars made by Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors have steadily fallen for the past three years due to stricter emission regulations, industry data showed on Feb. 18.

Diesel-powered sales accounted for 33.8 percent of 1,013,259 sedans and recreational vehicles sold by Hyundai and Kia in the domestic market last year, according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association.

The number was down from 34.1 percent in 2017 and from 39.9 percent in 2016 as demand for hybrid and electric vehicles has been on the rise in recent years, KAMA said.

For the whole of 2018, Hyundai and Kia sold a total of 7.39 million vehicles around the world, up 2 percent from the 7.25 million units they sold a year earlier.

Hyundai and Kia together are the flagships of Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s fifth-biggest automotive conglomerate.

By Ram Garikipati and newswires (ram@heraldcorp.com)