Hyundai Kia's China sales surge 169% in August

Shanghai, September 17 (Gasgoo.com) South Korean automaker Hyundai Kia Automotive Group has announced that its sales in China surged 168.98% in August from a year earlier to 71,215 units (imported cars not included), xinhuanet.com reported yesterday.

From January to August, Hyundai Kia sold 484,266 vehicles in China, surpassing sales during the full year of 2008, mainly thanks to stimulus measures by the Chinese government. China sales of Hyundai-brand vehicles rose 78.2% year on year to 351,528 units in the first eight months.

Its subsidiary joint venture Beijing Hyundai reported a 207.96% sales surge to 50,713 units in August, setting a new high of its monthly sales. Sales of another subsidiary Dongfeng Yueda Kia soared 104.86% to 20,502 units.

In addition to vehicles made by its joint venture in Beijing, Hyundai also imports cars into China. Hyundai's affiliate Kia Motors also makes and sells vehicles in China via a local venture Dongfeng Yueda Kia.

Hyundai Kia is expected to take the third place, following General Motors and Volkswagen Group, among global automakers competing on the Chinese market.