Kia Narrows The Gap To Hyundai, But Not In America
Kia and Hyundai have released global sales figures for May 2025, and the results indicate that the gap in sales between the two automakers is slowly closing. Hyundai has typically outsold Kia globally, and that hasn’t changed, but the two brands moved in opposite directions in terms of global growth.
Last month, Hyundai’s global sales reached 351,174 units, a year-on-year drop of 1.7%. Kia went in the opposite direction, selling 269,148 units in May 2025, a 1.7% increase compared to the same month a year ago. In the United States, the sales race between the two is a lot closer.
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Kia And Hyundai Neck And Neck In America
In the United States, Kia and Hyundai continued to grow at a rapid rate last month. Hyundai moved 84,521 units in May, an increase of 8% compared to May 2024, while Kia hit 79,007 units, up by 5%. These numbers indicate that both brands are growing at a much faster rate in America than they are globally.
Kia has now sold 352,656 units in the USA in the first five months of the year, while Hyundai is on 369,578 units over the same period.
Hyundai has been able to maintain its lead over Kia in America for a few reasons. One is a focus on affordable hybrids like the Elantra and Sonata. Kia has its fair share of hybrid crossovers, but it has no hybrid sedans. Furthermore, Hyundai competes in the compact pickup segment with the Santa Cruz. Not only is this the smallest truck in America, but it’s another model for which Kia has no equivalent.
Several Bold New Models Bolster Kia’s Global Sales
It’s been a busy few months for Kia, with a number of key product launches that have contributed to its overall growth in May. Many of these models are either not coming to America at all or are not available here yet, such as the EV3 SUV, EV4 sedan, and the oddly styled Tasman pickup. Hyundai currently does not have an EV4 alternative; the related Hyundai Elexio will share the EV4’s architecture, but it’s designed exclusively for China and hasn’t yet gone into production.
Alongside these new launches, the brand’s core SUVs continued to thrive, with the Sportage, Seltos, and Sorento all selling strongly in May.
The Future Looks Bright For Both Korean Brands
For two brands that share multiple platforms and powertrains, Kia and Hyundai have grown into distinct automakers and not merely clones of one another. Hyundai continues to have the edge in terms of performance, with a dedicated N performance division. Kia, meanwhile, has a greater emphasis on affordability and a more aggressive aesthetic.
Both now have an extensive range of electrified models, especially in the United States, where they’ve left Japanese brands like Nissan and Honda scrambling to catch up.
While Kia has occasionally outsold Hyundai in individual markets, the latter remains the clear leader on the global stage, but the gap appears to be closing. Last year, Kia fell over a million units short of Hyundai globally, but a series of exciting new Kia launches – including a 2025 World Car of the Year award for the Kia EV3 – could see that gap shrink considerably six months from now.
