A report from The Korea Herald states that Hyundai Motor Group continued its strong momentum in the United States by posting record July sales across all three of its brands. Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis each achieved their best July sales performance on record despite ongoing weakness in the electric vehicle market.
The publication says that Hyundai and Kia combined to sell 165,284 vehicles in July, a 5 percent increase compared to the same month last year. Hyundai, including the Genesis luxury division, accounted for 89,427 deliveries, while Kia added another 75,857 vehicles.
The record-breaking month was driven primarily by strong demand for SUVs and a sharp increase in hybrid sales. Electric vehicle deliveries, however, moved in the opposite direction following the expiration of the federal EV tax credit.
The Korea Herald noted that Hyundai Motor Group’s balanced approach to gasoline, hybrid, and electric models continues to pay off as consumer demand shifts. That strategy has helped the Korean automakers continue expanding their presence in the U.S. market while some rivals scale back their EV ambitions.
Hybrids Continue To Drive Growth
Hybrid vehicles were the biggest success story across Hyundai Motor Group’s lineup. Combined hybrid sales climbed 52.2 percent year-over-year to 43,727 units, accounting for nearly all of the company’s electrified vehicle growth.
Hyundai sold 22,733 hybrid models during July, up 35 percent from a year ago. Kia enjoyed an even larger jump, with hybrid sales soaring 76.6 percent to 20,994 units.
Electrified vehicle sales as a whole increased 24.7 percent to 50,937 units, although that gain was almost entirely the result of hybrid demand rather than battery-electric models.
EV Sales Continue To Slide
Electric vehicles moved in the opposite direction after the expiration of the federal $7,500 EV tax credit last year.
Combined EV sales across Hyundai and Kia fell 40.5 percent to 7,210 units. Hyundai’s EV deliveries dropped 46.1 percent to 4,545 vehicles, while Kia’s electric sales declined 27.7 percent to 2,665.
Several individual models reflected that trend. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 fell 38 percent to 3,636 units, while the larger Ioniq 9 recorded 700 sales, down 35 percent. At Kia, EV6 deliveries dropped 48 percent, and EV9 sales slipped 5 percent.
Despite the decline, some analysts believe Hyundai Motor Group remains well positioned as several Detroit automakers continue scaling back aggressive electric vehicle expansion plans in favor of more profitable gasoline and hybrid products.
SUVs And Sedans Both Posted Strong Results
Hyundai’s bestselling model remained the Tucson, which posted a record July with 19,714 sales, up 20.2 percent. The Elantra delivered one of the month’s biggest gains, climbing 38.5 percent to 17,115 units, while the Santa Fe added 13,373 sales.
Although the Palisade and Santa Fe experienced some declines in Hyundai-only reporting, the Tucson and Elantra helped offset those losses and pushed the brand to another monthly record.
Kia’s growth was led by SUVs as well. The Sportage remained its top seller with 16,083 deliveries, up 11.7 percent, while Telluride sales increased 13.5 percent to 11,816 units.
The redesigned Seltos enjoyed one of the strongest performances of the month, surging 79 percent to 8,807 sales. The Carnival minivan also continued its strong run, climbing 22.8 percent to 7,279 units. Kia’s remaining sedans contributed as well, with both the K4 and K5 posting year-over-year gains.
Genesis Extends Its Sales Momentum
Genesis also celebrated its best July on record, delivering 6,947 vehicles, a 4 percent increase over the same month last year.
SUVs continued to carry the luxury brand. GV70 sales rose 10 percent to 2,978 units, while GV80 deliveries climbed 10 percent to 2,044. The GV80 Coupe also improved by 9 percent, and the electric GV60 posted a 17 percent increase, albeit on smaller volumes.
Genesis’ sedan lineup, however, moved in the opposite direction, with all of its passenger cars recording year-over-year sales declines.
Momentum Continues Into The Second Half Of 2026
The July results add to an already strong year for Hyundai Motor Group in the United States. Hyundai has sold 533,048 vehicles through the first seven months of 2026, up 3 percent from the same period last year.
Kia has delivered 506,584 vehicles year-to-date, a 4 percent improvement that keeps the company on pace for a fourth consecutive annual U.S. sales record.
Genesis has now recorded 22 straight months of year-over-year sales growth, reaching 46,035 deliveries through July. With hybrid demand continuing to rise and SUV sales remaining strong, Hyundai Motor Group enters the second half of the year with considerable momentum despite a cooling EV market.