Hyundai Motor, Kia’s sales in U.S. rise 16 percent on year in February

Hyundai Motor's Avante Hybrid [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

Hyundai Motor and Kia’s combined sales in the U.S. market rose 16 percent on year in February thanks to strong sales of hybrids.

The two automakers sold a total of 122,111 vehicles in the U.S. market last month, up 16.2 percent on year.

It marks the highest performance for any February in the companies' histories, though sales of full-electric vehicles such as Hyundai’s Ioniq 5s and Kia’s EV6s sharply dropped.

Hyundai sold 61,252 vehicles, up 9.6 percent on year, including cars from its premium Genesis brand. Hyundai has been reporting fresh high monthly sales in the U.S. market for four consecutive months.

Sales of Avante hybrids soared 179.5 percent on year, while Santa Fe hybrids jumped 70.2 percent.

Hyundai Motor's Santa Fe Hybrid [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

Kia’s total sales rose 23.7 percent to 60,859 during the same period on the robust sales of big-size SUVs.

Sales of Carnival minivans surged 85.2 percent on year, while Sportage SUVs skyrocketed 276.2 percent.

However, in terms of full-electric vehicles, sales sharply dropped as the Inflation Reduction Act restricts Hyundai and Kia EVs to receive a subsidy of up to $7,500.

Hyundai Motor sold 2,074 Ioniq 5s in the U.S. market last month, down 19 percent.

Kia’s EV6 sales plunged 39.2 percent to 1,294.

During the same period, Toyota’s sales in the U.S. market fell 2.4 percent to 158,709. Honda sold 83,247 vehicles, down 1.4 percent.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]