Hyundai Motor and Kia Enter UK Top Five Together for the First Time... Tucson and Sportage Lead Popularity

Hyundai Motor and Kia have both entered the top five in the monthly sales rankings in the United Kingdom, a leading European automotive market, for the first time.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on July 20, Hyundai Motor sold 10,109 units in the UK last month, a 9.9% increase compared to the same period last year, achieving fourth place in the monthly sales rankings for the first time. In the same month, Kia recorded sales of 10,043 units, a 2.6% decrease, ranking fifth.

2025 Tucson

This is the first time that both Hyundai Motor and Kia have entered the 'top five' together in the UK. Hyundai Motor sold 87,151 units in 2023 and 91,808 units last year in the UK, showing steady growth. In the first half of this year, cumulative sales reached 48,778 units, a 5.1% increase compared to the same period last year. Considering the expected sales boost from new models such as the Ioniq 9 in the second half, there is anticipation that Hyundai Motor could achieve annual sales of 100,000 units in the UK for the first time this year.

The main driver behind Hyundai Motor's strong performance has been the Tucson. This model sold over 30,000 units in both 2023 and last year, consistently ranking within the top ten by model sales. In the first half of this year, cumulative sales reached 15,496 units. Eco-friendly vehicles are also performing well. The new electric vehicle Inster (Casper Electric), launched in the UK in May, sold 1,127 units in its first month, quickly gaining popularity.

The New Sportage

Kia achieved sales of 62,005 units in the first half of this year, a 2.7% increase, ranking third among all brands in sales. Kia sold 107,765 units in 2023 and 112,252 units last year in the local market, ranking seventh and eighth, respectively.

Kia's most popular model is the Sportage. In the first half of this year, cumulative sales reached 23,012 units, making it the second best-selling model by sales. Last year, it also ranked second with annual sales of 47,163 units.