Seoul: Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. achieved a record combined market share in the United States in 2025, driven by increased local production and robust hybrid vehicle sales, despite facing significant tariff measures from Washington, officials announced on Sunday. The two South Korean automakers sold a combined total of 1.84 million vehicles in the U.S. last year, capturing a record market share of 11.3 percent, as per data from market watcher Wards Intelligence and industry sources.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Hyundai secured 6.1 percent of the U.S. market with sales totaling 984,017 units, whereas Kia maintained a 5.2 percent share with 852,155 vehicles sold. This accomplishment positioned the motor group as the fourth largest in the U.S. market, following General Motors at 17.5 percent, Toyota Motor Corp. at 15.5 percent, and Ford Motor Co. at 13.1 percent.

The notable growth in market share was largely due to a significant expansion in sales. Total U.S. auto sales increased by 2.4 percent to 16.23 million vehicles in 2025, while Hyundai and Kia saw their sales rise by 7.5 percent. Analysts indicated that the group's success was also due to a flexible production strategy and a strategic choice to absorb tariff-related costs instead of passing them onto consumers.

Last year, Hyundai completed its third U.S. plant in Georgia, which enhanced its capacity to meet local demand and mitigate tariff pressures. Consequently, vehicle shipments from South Korea to the U.S. decreased by 4.2 percent in 2025. The surge in hybrid vehicle sales further contributed to the increased market share, as the automakers' U.S. hybrid sales soared by 48.8 percent to 331,023 units last year.

The group has expressed plans to further increase U.S. production capacity to more than 1.2 million vehicles, up from approximately 700,000 in 2024.