Hyundai India Achieves Record Domestic Sales in January 2024

Last month, Hyundai Motor Company made a rapid advance in the Indian market. By leading with its overseas strategic small sports utility vehicle (SUV) model, the *Creta*, it targeted the domestic market, achieving record-breaking sales. Given that this model has maintained its position as the best-selling small SUV in the local market for eight consecutive years since its local launch in 2015, sales are expected to increase even more.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) announced on the 1st (local time) that it sold a total of 67,615 units last month. This is an 8.5% increase compared to the previous year (62,276 units). Although exports recorded 15,000 units, a double-digit decrease of 13.72% compared to the previous year (12,170 units), it sold 57,115 units in the domestic market, a double-digit growth of 14% compared to the previous year (51,000 units), recording the highest monthly sales ever.

In particular, the partially changed model of the *Creta*, which has established itself as a national car in India, has enjoyed a whirlwind of popularity. It recorded nearly 50,000 reservations in just one month of accepting pre-orders.

Hyundai Motor started accepting pre-orders for the new *Creta* on the 2nd of last month. At that time, Tarun Garg, COO of HMIL, stated, “The new *Creta* has returned with an improved convenience feature and a bold and confident design,” and emphasized, “Please watch the journey of *Creta*, which has satisfied more than 9.5 million customers over the past eight years and maintains unique leadership in the local small SUV market.”

The *Creta* is a representative strategic vehicle of Hyundai Motor in India.  its features such air conditioner on the rear seats as a standard specification considering the local weather as well as raising of the ground clearance to suit the road conditions with many unpaved roads are remarkable.  Moreover,  the fact that maximizing interior space to accommodate five people even though it is a small class, targeting the characteristic of having many large families is the point of its high popularity. Since its first launch in India in July 2015, it has maintained its position as the best-selling small SUV in the local market for eight consecutive years.

Hyundai Motor plans to enhance its electric vehicle lineup by launching the ‘Creta EV’ in 2025 following this new *Creta*. According to local media in India, the development of the *Creta* EV is currently in its final stages, and Hyundai Motor plans to start vehicle production in the fourth quarter of this year and unveil it at the Auto Expo, India’s largest auto show, in 2025.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor sold a total of 765,786 units in the Indian market last year. This is a 9% growth compared to the previous year (708,110 units). In particular, domestic sales recorded 602,111 units, a 9% increase compared to the previous year (552,511 units), achieving the highest annual sales record. This is the first time it has surpassed 600,000 units in the domestic market. Exports were counted as 163,675 units, a 10% increase compared to the previous year (148,300 units).

By. Jin Woong Yoon