For the first time ever, Korean companies Hyundai and Kia have outsold Japanese automaker Honda in the U.S.
Hyundai and Kia combined sold more cars, trucks, and minivans in the U.S. than Honda in 2021, the first time the Korean companies have come out on top, according to the automakers' sales figures. Hyundai and Kia sold over 1.4 million vehicles, while Honda sold just over 1.3 million.
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While they operate as separate brands in the United States, Hyundai and Kia share the same parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, as well as a lot of engineering, so they are often grouped together when comparing sales. Both brands had record sales in 2021, with Kia selling more than 700,000 vehicles for the first time and Hyundai increasing its market share by almost one percentage point.
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This wasn't the only upset in 2021 auto sales. Toyota toppled GM for the first time ever in the U.S., selling about 114,000 more vehicles than the American automaker. GM attributed the upset to the microchip shortage, something that may have contributed to the Hyundai and Kia upset as well.
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