Renault Samsung Motors Corp. said Monday that its auto sales tumbled 46.9 percent last month from a year earlier as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to weigh on demand for its models.

The South Korean unit of Renault SA sold 9,016 vehicles in December, down from 16,965 units a year earlier, the company said in a statement.

Domestic sales decreased 19.7 percent on-year to 8,010 units last month, while exports tumbled 85.6 percent to 1,006 units over the cited period, the firm said.

For the whole of 2020, Renault Samsung sold 116,166 units, dipping 34.5 percent from a year earlier due to downbeat overseas sales amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The upgraded model of the QM6 sports utility vehicle was the bestselling car in the domestic market in December, selling 4,767 units.

French automaker Renault holds an 81 percent stake in Renault Samsung. (Yonhap)