Hyundai Motor global sales fall 5.9% in June; Kia hits record H1 numbers
Synopsis
Hyundai's June global sales fell 5.9% to 338,313 units — its second straight quarterly decline — while affiliate Kia posted a record H1 tally of 1.63 million vehicles. The divergence lays bare a structural SUV-versus-sedan demand shift: Kia's SUV-heavy lineup is thriving while Hyundai's more balanced portfolio absorbs the downturn.
Key Takeaways
Hyundai Motor sold 338,313 vehicles globally in June 2025 , down 5.9 percent year-on-year.
Overseas sales fell 5.8 percent to 280,081 units ; domestic sales declined 6.2 percent to 58,232 units .
Hyundai's H1 2025 global sales totalled 1.96 million vehicles , down 4.9 percent from a year earlier.
Kia sold 295,720 vehicles in June, up 9.5 percent year-on-year, with the Sportage SUV leading at 54,058 units .
Kia's H1 2025 global sales hit a record 1.63 million vehicles .
Renault Korea Motors saw June sales plunge 45.7 percent to 4,651 units ; H1 sales fell 29 percent to 33,384 units .
Hyundai Motor reported a 5.9 percent year-on-year decline in global vehicle sales for June 2025, with demand softening in both its home market and overseas. The South Korean automaker sold 338,313 vehicles worldwide last month, underscoring a broader cooling in consumer appetite that has weighed on the company through the first half of the year.
June Sales Breakdown
Overseas sales fell 5.8 percent on-year to 280,081 units, while domestic sales in South Korea slipped 6.2 percent to 58,232 units. The simultaneous decline across both channels signals that the demand weakness is not confined to any single geography. For the full first half of 2025, Hyundai sold 1.96 million vehicles globally — down 4.9 percent from the same period a year ago.
Recovery Path: Grandeur and Avante
Hyundai said it expects sales to gradually recover, citing the launch of the facelifted Grandeur flagship sedan last month as a near-term demand catalyst. The company also has the redesigned Avante compact sedan scheduled for release in the second half of 2025, which it is counting on to shore up volumes. Whether these model refreshes are sufficient to reverse the H1 trend remains to be seen.
Kia Surges to Record First-Half Sales
In sharp contrast, affiliate Kia posted a 9.5 percent jump in global sales for June, selling 295,720 vehicles — its strongest June performance in recent memory. Domestic sales surged 18.6 percent to 54,508 units, while overseas sales rose 7.6 percent to 240,259 units. The Sportage SUV led the lineup with 54,058 units sold, followed by the Seltos SUV at 35,007 units and the K4 compact sedan at 22,373 units. For the first half of 2025, Kia sold a record 1.63 million vehicles globally — its highest-ever H1 tally — driven by robust demand for its SUV portfolio.
Renault Korea's Sharp Slump
Renault Korea Motors, the South Korean unit of France's Renault S.A., reported a steep 45.7 percent plunge in June sales to just 4,651 vehicles, with both domestic and export channels contracting sharply. Domestic sales dropped 32.2 percent on-year to 3,400 units. For the first half of 2025, cumulative sales reached 33,384 units, down a significant 29 percent year-on-year. Domestic sales fell 24.5 percent to 21,187 units, while exports dived 35.7 percent to 12,197 units.
The Bigger Picture
The divergence between Hyundai and Kia — both under the Hyundai Motor Group umbrella — reflects a broader SUV-versus-sedan demand shift that is playing out globally. Kia's SUV-heavy lineup has insulated it from the slowdown that is pressuring Hyundai's more balanced portfolio. This is the second consecutive quarter in which Hyundai has reported a year-on-year sales decline, raising questions about whether the model refresh pipeline can deliver the recovery the company is projecting.
Point of View
But betting a recovery on two sedan refreshes in an SUV cycle looks like a structural mismatch. Renault Korea's near-halving of June sales is a separate alarm: it points to a brand relevance problem that product launches alone are unlikely to fix quickly.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Hyundai Motor's global sales fall in June 2025?
Hyundai Motor's global sales fell 5.9 percent in June 2025 to 338,313 units due to weaker demand in both its domestic South Korean market and overseas markets. The decline follows a broader softening in consumer appetite that has persisted through the first half of the year.
How did Kia perform in June 2025 compared to Hyundai?
Kia posted a 9.5 percent increase in global sales for June 2025, selling 295,720 vehicles, in sharp contrast to Hyundai's 5.9 percent decline. Kia's SUV-heavy lineup, led by the Sportage and Seltos, drove the outperformance.
What is Kia's record first-half 2025 sales figure?
Kia sold a record 1.63 million vehicles globally in the first half of 2025, its highest-ever H1 tally. Strong SUV demand, particularly for the Sportage, Seltos, and K4 models, fuelled the milestone.
How much did Renault Korea Motors' sales fall in June 2025?
Renault Korea Motors' June 2025 sales plunged 45.7 percent year-on-year to 4,651 vehicles, with both domestic and export channels contracting. Its cumulative H1 2025 sales fell 29 percent to 33,384 units.
What models is Hyundai counting on for a sales recovery?
Hyundai expects sales to gradually recover on the back of the facelifted Grandeur flagship sedan, launched in June 2025, and the redesigned Avante compact sedan planned for the second half of 2025. The company has not disclosed specific volume targets for either model.
