On Apr. 4, domestic and overseas sales by Korea's five finished carmakers fell about 3% from a year earlier. The decline is attributed to domestic production disruptions caused by a parts supplier fire and weakened global consumer sentiment after the Middle East war. Kia topped Hyundai Motor in the domestic market for the first time since it was acquired by Hyundai Motor Group in 1988.
According to Hyundai Motor, Kia, GM Korea, KG Mobility, and Renault Korea on Apr. 4, the five companies sold a total of 666,248 vehicles in domestic and overseas markets in April. That is down 3.3% from the same period a year earlier (689,204). Domestic sales fell 8.8% to 117,314 units, while overseas sales, including exports, decreased 2.1% to 548,483.
The sharp drop in domestic sales for the five companies was largely driven by Hyundai Motor. The company's domestic sales last month were 54,051 units, down 19.9% from a year earlier.
A Hyundai Motor official said, "Last month, sales declined due to reduced production of key models such as the Palisade and G80 caused by supply disruptions at partner parts suppliers, along with waiting demand for new models." In March, a fire at Daejeon Safety Industry delayed the supply of engine parts and disrupted production of major models.
Hyundai Motor's overseas sales last month were 271,538 units, down 5.1% from a year earlier. The impact stems from weakened global consumer sentiment due to the Middle East war. As a result, Hyundai Motor's total domestic and overseas sales in April were 325,589 units, an 8.0% decrease year over year.
Kia, by contrast, sold 277,188 vehicles in April (including special-purpose vehicles), up 1.0% from a year earlier. Domestic sales rose 7.9% to 55,045 units, surpassing Hyundai Motor. It was the first time Kia beat Hyundai Motor in the domestic market since the 1998 merger and acquisition. The Sorento sold 12,078 units to rank No. 1 in domestic sales. Kia's overseas sales last month were 221,692 units, down 0.7% from a year earlier.
GM Korea's domestic and overseas sales in April totaled 47,760 units, posting the highest growth among the five companies at 14.7%. Exports rose 16.4% to 46,949 units. The Chevrolet Trax Crossover (31,239 units) and Trailblazer (15,710 units) increased 12.7% and 24.7%, respectively, driving overall exports. However, domestic sales plunged 38.8% to 811 units.
KG Mobility's domestic and overseas sales in April (including semi-knockdown kits) rose 6.5% year over year to 9,512 units. Domestic sales fell 4.6% to 3,382 units, but overseas sales climbed 13.8% to 6,130. Thanks to higher sales of the Musso pickup, monthly exports topped 6,000 units for the first time in four months since December last year.
Renault Korea sold a total of 6,199 units in April, including 4,025 domestically and 2,174 overseas. With domestic sales and exports plunging 23.4% and 58.0%, respectively, from a year earlier, total sales also fell 40.5%. A Renault Korea official said, "In the case of domestic sales, the continued economic instability, including the recent rise in oil prices, affected performance," and added, "For exports, we plan to optimize production and shipping schedules in line with unstable international conditions."