Hybrids Lift Hyundai, Kia and Honda to Strong US Sales in October

Hyundai grows on hybrids and large SUVs

Hyundai Motor America's retail sales rose 9% to 62,646, an October record. Hybrid sales grew 20% and made up 29% of the total. The Santa Fe was the brand's best-seller with 17,959 sales, up 52%, and the Palisade rose 14% to 10,840; both set October records, as did their hybrid versions. The Tucson fell 23% to 17,808 ahead of an all-new model due in North America in 2027. The Ioniq 5 rose 21% to 1,981, while the Ioniq 6 recorded no sales at all. From January to October, Hyundai sold 770,916 vehicles, up 3%, and its hybrid sales rose 50%. Chief executive Randy Parker said customers "responded across our lineup".

Kia outsells Hyundai

Kia sold more cars than its sister brand in October. The Telluride three-row SUV grew 63% to 14,009 sales, and the electric EV9 more than doubled, up 111% to 1,406. The smaller EV6 rose 58% to 803. Kia credited hybrids and electric models for the increase. Together, the two Korean brands sold about 153,460 vehicles in the month.

Honda sets hybrid records

Honda brand sales grew 9.1% to 109,162, while Acura slipped 2.5% to 10,790. The CR-V led with 34,815 sales, up 9.8%, of which 18,534 were hybrids. Honda sold 32,519 hybrids in total, its best October for hybrids, and hybrids accounted for 45% of Accord sales and 36% of Civic sales. The HR-V and Passport set October records, the Odyssey rose 32.2% to 7,202 and the Acura MDX jumped 54.3% to 5,232. The new Prelude passed 400 sales for a second month. For the year so far, Honda and Acura sales stand at 1,269,213, up 5%.

What it means for buyers

Demand for hybrid SUVs such as the Santa Fe, Palisade and CR-V is strong in the US, so discounts on those models are likely to stay small. Buyers flexible on powertrain may find better deals on petrol versions or on electric models with weaker sales.

Background reading: the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Telluride.