Hyundai Motors announced its domestic sales data for January through July 2023. Aggregating the sales of its six‑seat and SUV models by powertrain, it became evident that the share of hybrid vehicles has been steadily rising relative to gasoline models.
In the six‑seat lineup, the mid‑size Avante stood out most noticeably. It sold 25,463 gasoline cars and 5,139 hybrids, giving a gasoline market share of 83.2%. Since launching the new full‑size model, the contract split has stayed roughly at about 77% gasoline to 23% hybrid. The midsize sedan Sonata recorded 19,021 gasoline sales and 5,456 hybrids, resulting in a 77.7% gasoline share. The mid‑range Grand Santa Fe sold 23,211 gasoline and 23,711 hybrids, with the hybrid share rising to 50.5%, slightly surpassing gasoline.
The SUV segment displayed a similar pattern. The small Kona sold 13,244 gasoline and 4,524 hybrids, with a 74.5% gasoline share. The mid‑size Tucson sold 11,443 gasoline and 14,152 hybrids, raising the hybrid share to 47.7%. The midsize Santa Fe sold 5020 gasoline and 19,312 hybrids, making it the highest at 79.4% for hybrids. The small Santa Fe also sold 6,309 gasoline and 15,903 hybrids, with a 71.6% hybrid share.
The price‑segment analysis mirrored this trend. In the 20–30 million KRW (Korean won) range (Cano), gasoline accounted for 74.5%. The 30–40 million KRW segment (Avante and Tucson) had gasoline at 70.4%. Meanwhile, the 40–50 million KRW (Sonata and Santa Fe) segment saw hybrid share rise to 50.7%, surpassing half. In the 50‑plus million KRW range (Grand Santa Fe and Santa Fe), hybrids accounted for 57.3% with a greater gap.
The annual sales figures also reveal segment differences. The small and mid‑size segments had hybrid shares of 29.3% and 30.2%, respectively, whereas the midsize and large‑size segments were above 50%, at 55.8% and 58.9%. Industry insiders said that “when considering performance, safety, reliability and cost, more consumers are choosing hybrids even if it costs a bit more.”