SEOUL, KOREA - Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors reported a slight decline in sales in Europe in January 2014, despite the region’s more than 5 percent growth in overall car sales. According to the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association (ACEA), the two Korean auto makers sold 55,794 units in January 2014 in EU and EFTA regions, down 1.9 percent year on year.
Kia Motors marked a 3.1-percent growth to 24,646 units, while Hyundai Motor suffered a 4-percent decline to 31,148 units. Hyundai Motor’s market share there fell to 3.2 percent from 3.6 percent a year ago, while those of Kia Motors slipped from 2.6 percent to 2.5 percent.
The European region’s overall new car sales totaled 967,778 units in January 2014, up 5.2 percent from a year ago. The regional car sales moved up for five straight months starting from September 2013.
By brand, Volkswagen enjoyed an 8.2-percent sales growth, while PSA, Renault, and Ford also savored a 6.9 percent, 13 percent, and 8.8 percent growth, respectively. In contrast, GM, Fiat, and Nissan posted a negative year-on-year growth of 5.4 percent, 1.8 percent and 4 percent each.