Hyundai-Kia leads China's SUV market in Q2 sales

Shanghai, July 26 (Gasgoo.com) Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors sold a combined 51,908 SUVs in the Chinese market from April to June, leading China's SUV market in sales in the second quarter of the year, media reported yesterday, citing industry sources.

Hyundai Kia Automotive Group's SUV sales in China during the April-June period outpaced Japan's largest automaker Toyota Motor, who sold 42,196 SUVs in the Chinese marked in the second quarter.

In the first half, Hyundai and Kia sold 90,534 SUVs in China, accounting for 15.7% of the Chinese SUV market. However, they came in second to Toyota, which sold 92,489 SUV units in the January-June period, accounting for 16.1%.

In China, now the world's largest auto market, Hyundai and Kia sell four compact SUV models, including the Tuscon and Sportage. The Korean automakers are planning to add a new SUV model to their lineup for Chinese buyers later this year.

The Korean auto group saw its first-half sales in China up 39.9% to 489,500 vehicles, and aims for full-year sales of 1 million units, up 23%. Hyundai and Kia sold 570,309 and 241,386 vehicles in China last year, respectively.

Hyundai's Chinese venture Beijing Hyundai, with first-half sales of 329,000 vehicles boosted by the Hyundai ix35 and Tucson SUVs, aims to sell 729,500 units this year. The venture will start building its third plant in September.