Hyundai and Kia’s European Sales Slip as Model Gap Weighs on Growth

Hyundai Motor and Kia recorded a combined decline in European vehicle sales in September, with a shortage of new models weighing on Hyundai even as affiliate Kia posted double-digit growth.

The two South Korean automakers sold 96,258 vehicles in the European common market during the month, down 1.7 percent from 97,907 vehicles a year earlier, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. Their performance diverged sharply: Hyundai’s sales fell 17.5 percent to 39,821 vehicles, while Kia’s increased 13.7 percent to 56,437.

A Hyundai spokesperson attributed the company’s weaker monthly result to the lack of new models, particularly electric vehicles, in its lineup. The figures show that Kia’s gain was not enough to offset Hyundai’s decline across a European market that expanded at a much faster pace.

In unit terms, Hyundai sold 8,432 fewer vehicles than a year earlier, while Kia sold 6,783 more. The result was a net combined reduction of 1,649 vehicles. That arithmetic shows how Kia absorbed most, but not all, of the decline at its larger affiliate during the month.

Overall vehicle sales in Europe rose 10.2 percent from a year earlier to 1,363,210 units in September. Against that stronger market backdrop, Hyundai and Kia’s combined share fell 0.9 percentage point to 7.1 percent. The gap between the wider market’s growth and the Korean automakers’ combined contraction highlights the competitive pressure created by product timing and the region’s changing demand.

The weakness also extended beyond a single month. From January through September, Hyundai and Kia sold a combined 770,795 vehicles in Europe, down 3.4 percent from 797,919 during the same period last year. Their nine-month market share slipped 0.7 percentage point to 7.3 percent.

The companies are seeking to strengthen sales of lower-emission vehicles as European emissions rules become more stringent. Their current push includes gasoline hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of Hyundai’s Tucson, the all-electric Hyundai Kona, Kia’s electric EV3 and the Kia Niro plug-in hybrid.

September’s results underline the importance of fresh electrified models in a market where regulatory demands and product competition are intensifying. Kia’s growth provided a partial cushion, but the combined decline and loss of market share leave Hyundai Motor Group facing pressure to translate its hybrid and electric portfolio into broader European sales momentum.