Seoul, Jan 5 (NationPress) Hyundai Motor, recognized as South Korea's premier automaker, reported on Monday that its worldwide sales dipped by 0.1 percent compared to the previous year in 2025, primarily due to a downturn in overseas demand, seemingly impacted by U.S. import tariffs.

The automaker sold 4,138,180 vehicles last year, reflecting a slight decrease from 4,141,959 units sold the year prior, according to a press release issued by the company, as cited by Yonhap news agency.

Sales in the domestic market increased by 1.1 percent year-on-year, totaling 712,954 units, whereas international sales saw a decline of 0.3 percent, amounting to 3,425,226 units.

The release highlighted that, despite challenging business conditions, including U.S. import tariffs, Hyundai managed to enhance its product range by introducing new models, such as the all-new Palisade sport utility vehicle (SUV) and the fully electric Ioniq 9 SUV in more markets while bolstering its eco-friendly vehicle offerings.

For the year 2026, Hyundai has set an ambitious global sales target of 4,158,300 vehicles, which includes 3,458,300 units from overseas and 700,000 units domestically.

To meet this goal, the company plans to launch more eco-friendly models, initiate operations at new production facilities, and adapt swiftly to market fluctuations.

In December alone, Hyundai's sales fell by 0.6 percent year-on-year, totaling 328,393 units, down from 330,290 units the previous December. Domestic sales increased by 2.2 percent to 62,666 units, while overseas sales dropped by 1.2 percent to 265,727 units.

In contrast, Kia, the second-largest automaker in South Korea, reported a sales increase of 2 percent for 2025, driven by a robust demand for its SUV models.

Kia, affiliated with Hyundai Motor, recorded sales of 3,135,803 vehicles last year, up from 3,089,300 units the previous year, as per a press release.

Domestic sales increased by 1 percent to 545,776 units from 540,010 units during the same period, while international sales rose by 2 percent to 2,584,238 units from 2,543,168 units.

The press release noted that strong sales of the Sportage and Seltos SUVs bolstered the company’s overseas sales in the past year.

The annual figures also include 5,789 special-purpose vehicles, which marked a 5 percent decline from 6,122 vehicles in the prior year.

In December, Kia's vehicle sales saw a 1 percent decrease, totaling 236,672 units, down from 240,455 units a year earlier.