Hyundai Sonata And Optima Hybrids Set US Sales Record

With more and more consumers looking for fuel efficiency and green options, Hyundai and Kia, the South Korean top automakers, are looking to expand their hybrid car business.

Recent sales numbers from the USA and Korea show that the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid sold 2,129 units in the United States last month, with the Optima Hybrid selling 1,206 units.

The combined sales for both highly-advanced hybrid vehicles were a monthly record for the Koreans since they first introduced the hybrids back in 2011.

The May 2013 sales figures also represent a 44% increase over last year.

US sales figures for Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima

Over the first 5 months of 2013, the two carmakers combined for 14,234 units sold in the US, which translated to a 30.7% increase over the same period last year.

Part of the reason for the sharp increase in hybrid sales in the US, the world’s second-largest auto market, has been down to the price of gas and the consumer need for fuel efficiency.

The hybrid car segment is still pretty much dominated by the Toyota Prius, but analysts feel that Kia and Hyundai are making up the ground at a steady pace.

Kia and Hyundai have combined for over 3,000 hybrid sales for 3 consecutive months now.

Both hybrid models are manufactured in South Korea and exported to the United States.

Kia’s domestic market hybrid car sales

On the domestic front, Hyundai and Kia have together sold 9,287 hybrid cars in the first 5 months of the fiscal year.

The number represents a 6.5% increase compared to a year ago.

2013 Kia Optima Hybrid

A few weeks ago, Kia released the very-first official details about the slightly updated Optima hybrid car.

The 2013 model year improvements resuletd in a car that now offers improved fuel efficiency, more space and slightly better performance.

The 2013 Optima hybrid offers a bigger 47-horsepower electric traction motor and more powerful 47-kW lithium-polymer battery pack.

Although the overall horsepower rating has dropped from 206 to 199, the car has seen a significant increase in torque (from 195 lb-ft to 235 lb-ft).

According to Kia, the updated hybrid powertrain makes the 2013 Optima Hybrid more responsive than before, as well as more efficient.

After the update, the all-new Optima hybrid achieves 36 mpg city, 40 highway and 38 combined.

What else is changed in the 2013 Kia Optima? Find out here.