South Korean siblings Hyundai and Kia are in a race like never before. For the first time in Australian automotive history, young gun Kia is on track to outsell Hyundai this year.
The sales battle between sibling South Korean brands Hyundai and Kia has hit top gear in the lead-up to the end of the year.
The jointly-owned car giants are locked in a neck-and-neck race to the finish line in 2022 – and the battle could deliver savings to buyers looking to drive a bargain.
Kia has outsold Hyundai year-to-date every month so far this year, the first time it has outsold its partner brand over such a sustained period of time in Australia.
Over the past eight years, Hyundai sales have experienced a steady decline as Kia sales have climbed.
The latest official sales figures show Kia has reported 66,580 cars sold to the end of October 2022 (up 14.5 per cent year-to-date in a market that has plateaued, up 0.9 per cent).
The Kia tally is about 3200 deliveries more than Hyundai (63,392 new cars reported as sold over the same period, up 5.2 per cent over the same period).
Both brands are experiencing severe stock shortages and are holding more orders than they have cars to deliver.
However, the close competition between the two sibling rivals means if any cars become available in showrooms, they will be quick to do a deal to report the car as sold and clock up an extra sale.
As previously reported, Hyundai and Kia cars share jointly-developed cars, engines, and technology – but the vehicles have unique styling and are built in separate factories.
Both brands arrived in Australia via independent distributors – initially with a limited range of cars, with Hyundai from 1986 and Kia from 1992 – but their local operations are now subsidiaries of their parent companies in South Korea.
Kia versus Hyundai sales so far this year:
| 2022 | Kia (monthly sales) | Kia (year-to-date sales) | Hyundai (monthly sales) | Hyundai (year-to-date sales) |
| January | 5520 | 5520 | 5128 | 5128 |
| February | 5881 | 11,401 | 5649 | 10,777 |
| March | 6051 | 17,452 | 6516 | 17,293 |
| April | 6180 | 23,632 | 5552 | 22,845 |
| May | 7307 | 30,939 | 7063 | 29,908 |
| June | 8480 | 39,419 | 8259 | 38,167 |
| July | 6711 | 46,130 | 6792 | 44,959 |
| August | 6780 | 52,910 | 6643 | 51,602 |
| September | 7290 | 60,200 | 6501 | 58,103 |
| October | 6380 | 66,580 | 5289 | 63,392 |
Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (bold denotes a sales win for that period).
Kia sales in Australia over the past 10 years
- 67,964 (2021)
- 56,076 (2020)
- 61,503 (2019)
- 58,515 (2018)
- 54,737 (2017)
- 42,668 (2016)
- 33,736 (2015)
- 28,005 (2014)
- 29,778 (2013)
- 30,758 (2012)
Hyundai sales in Australia over the past 10 years
- 72,872 (2021)
- 64,807 (2020)
- 86,104 (2019)
- 94,187 (2018)
- 97,013 (2017)
- 101,555 (2016)
- 102,004 (2015)
- 100,011 (2014)
- 97,006 (2013)
- 91,536 (2012)
Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries
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