11:01 am, January 9, 2013
HYUNDAI shot up in the sales charts in 2012 – making it into the top ten best selling manufacturers in the UK.
The first Korean firm ever to make it into the top ten chart, Hyundai experienced a substantial sales boost in 2012 – up 17 per cent on 2011, their previous best year.
Since 2008, they’ve shot up 11 places on the manufacturer sales chart – overtaking Citroen, Honda and others for a market share of 3.63 per cent.
Such was the boom that the UK is an increasingly large part of Hyundai’s European sales – with 17 per cent of its entire sales across the continent, we’re now the firm’s second biggest market.
Part of the increase has come from the fleet sector, with Hyundai up a considerable 37.6 per cent compared to 2011 – making them the fastest growing manufacturer in that area.
Their best selling model was the popular i10 city car – selling 23,000 units last year, a 13.5 per cent increase on 2011.
So popular was it that it became the second best selling car in the A-segment – outselling the Ford Ka and even the VW Up, holding 12.5 per cent of the market.
The i30 and i20 both did well too, with over 12,000 and 11,000 units sold each.
‘Despite challenging economic and social conditions, Hyundai has had an exceptional year,’ commented Tony Whitehorn, president and CEO of Hyundai UK.
‘The investment in desirable new products which offer more than just good value has been integral to consumers reappraising the Hyundai brand. Since 2008, Hyundai has more than 250,000 more cars on the road and has seen sales nearly triple in just four years.
‘We have risen from 21st in the UK car market to breaking through into the Top Ten – that is a tremendous achievement and a testament to the hard work of our employees and the Dealer Network.’
