Kia has challenged Hyundai’s almost unshakable market leadership in South Korea for the first time in over 35 years, since Hyundai established itself as Korea’s automotive powerhouse.

The complex relationship between the two companies sees them share platforms and powertrains, but run independent design and marketing operations. Hyundai controls around one-third of Kia, and Kia, in return, holds a stake in a number of Hyundai subsidiaries.

April 2026 sales figures for the Korean market reveal that, for the first time since Hyundai took control of Kia in 1998, it has been outsold by its satellite company.

Sales figures reported by Korea’s ET News reveal a narrow win for Kia, moving 55,045 vehicles, edging out Hyundai’s 54,051 sales by less than 1000 vehicles. The result saw Kia sales grow by 7.9 per cent compared to 2025, while Hyundai’s dropped 19.9 per cent.

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The unusual finish was bolstered by the success of the Kia Sorento, which has sold 39,000 units year-to-date, compared to the flagging Santa Fe, which only managed 21,000 sales in response. The Sportage (20,327 units) also outsold the Tucson (15,014).

While the Sorento now claims a two-year run outselling the Santa Fe in Korea, outside influences also impacted sales results. Along with Kia’s sales growth, Hyundai production has been set back following a fire at Anjeon Industrial, which supplies engine components to both brands.

The Sorento became the first vehicle to surpass 100,000 sales annually in 2025, and was Korea’s top-selling vehicle in 2024 and 2025.

Across South Korea, vehicle sales dropped by 2.1 per cent for the month of April, but domestic brands including Hyundai, Kia, GM Korea, Renault Korea, KGM, were hit hardest, dropping 8.8 per cent.

While the sales position is ground-shaking for the Korean market, in Australia, Kia racked up its fourth consecutive year ahead of Hyundai in 2025. Based on year-to-date sales figures compiled by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Kia again leads with 26,037 sales to the end of April, against 25,103 for Hyundai.