Hyundai Motor and Kia have sold more than 15 million SUVs and other utility vehicles in the US since entering the market in 1994.
Hyundai Motor Group said Monday that cumulative US sales of SUVs, minivan and other utility vehicles, a category commonly referred to as recreational vehicles in South Korea, reached 15.07 million units through August.
Hyundai Motor, including its luxury brand Genesis, accounted for 7.06 million vehicles, while Kia sold 8.01 million.
Sales have continued to grow this year, with Hyundai and Kia selling a combined 936,789 SUVs and utility vehicles in the US in the first eight months of 2026. At the current pace, annual sales are on track to surpass last year’s record of 1.39 million.
The automaker hit 1 million cumulative utility-vehicle sales in the US in 2005, 11 years after entering the market, and sped past 10 million in 2022.
Annual sales have risen steadily since 2017 and have remained above 1 million vehicles sold each year since 2022. SUVs and utility vehicles have accounted for more than 70 percent of Hyundai and Kia’s total US sales each year since 2022.
Hyundai Santa Fe is the company’s bestselling utility vehicle in the US, with cumulative sales of 2.6 million. It is followed by the Hyundai Tucson at 2.23 million, Kia Sorento at 1.98 million, Kia Sportage at 1.95 million and Kia Soul at 1.56 million.
Industry officials point to Hyundai and Kia’s broad lineup as a key factor behind their strong performance in the US utility vehicle market. Together, the two automakers now sell 21 models in the segment — 11 from Hyundai and 10 from Kia.
Hyundai is expected to bolster its SUV lineup with the upcoming US launch of the fifth-generation Tucson, while Kia aims to reach annual US sales of over 200,000 units for the Sportage, which would be a first for any Kia model in the country.
By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)
