Hyundai Motor Group recorded a 37 percent year-on-year increase in passenger car sales in South Africa last month, strengthening its foothold in one of Africa’s largest automotive markets.
The Korean mobility giant, comprising Hyundai Motor Company and Kia, sold a combined total of 4,266 vehicles in April, according to a National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa report issued earlier this month.
Hyundai Motor Company accounted for 2,989 units, up 41 percent from a year earlier, and its smaller affiliate Kia marked a 24 percent increase with 1,277 units sold.
Thanks to this robust growth, Hyundai Motor Company became the fourth-largest automaker by sales volume in South Africa, overtaking Ford and trailing behind Toyota, Suzuki and Volkswagen.
Hyundai Motor Group also maintained its fourth-place ranking among global automotive groups in South Africa for both April 2024 and April 2025. The April sales boost pushed the group’s year-to-date sales up by 27 percent, outpacing the overall market growth of 16.9 percent during the same period.
According to automotive data tracker Marklines, the group’s success in South Africa is largely driven by a renewed appreciation for its strategic models tailored to local conditions.
Hyundai Motor’s compact hatchback i10 has played a pivotal role, with 1,425 sold in April alone — a 73 percent increase on-year.
Produced primarily at Hyundai’s Indian manufacturing facilities, the car’s compact size — 3,765 millimeters in length and 1,660 mm in width — offers agile maneuverability in narrow urban environments.
Last year, the i10 accounted for 14,410 of the 45,556 vehicles Hyundai Motor Group sold in South Africa, ranking fifth among all passenger vehicles sold in the country in 2024.
Other compact models tailored to the region, such as Kia’s sport utility vehicle Sonet, also contributed significantly to the group’s sales, according to Marklines.
South Africa is the largest car market in Africa. Last year, the country’s vehicle demand reached approximately 351,556 units, accounting for nearly half of the continent’s total sales estimation of 775,597, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.
To sustain growth amid rapidly shifting international market conditions, Hyundai plans to accelerate its penetration into previously less-focused markets by introducing more models tailored specifically to regional needs.
forestjs@heraldcorp.com
