FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America today announced October sales of 31,005 units, a 49 percent increase compared with October 2008. Calendar year-to-date, Hyundai sales are up 4 percent. This marks the tenth consecutive month of year-over-year gains in retail market share. Hyundai leads all automotive brands in absolute market share growth, up 1.2 percentage points (from 3.1 percent to 4.3 percent) for the first ten months of this year.

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"We've done a good job of selling down our 2009 model year inventory over the last few months, with about two-thirds of Hyundai car sales in October being fresh, 2010 model year vehicles," said Dave Zuchowski, vice president of sales. "With the recent encouraging economic news of a 3.5 percent GDP growth during the third quarter, the best in two years, we are looking forward to the final two months of the year. We have our all-new Tucson launching at the end of this year and the 2011 Sonata coming early next year, so we are excited about the terrific new products we'll be filling our dealerships with."

Genesis continued its strong growth trend with sales of 1,850, a 65 percent increase. The fuel-efficient Accent and Elantra had significant increases of 106 percent and 225 percent respectively versus 2008 while the Santa Fe delivered a solid sales gain of 70 percent leading up to the introduction of the even more fuel-efficient face lifted 2010 model coming early next year.

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced by more than 790 dealerships nationwide.

    CARLINE    OCT/2009    OCT/2008    CY/2009    CY/2008
    -------    --------    --------    -------    -------

    ACCENT        4,581       2,222     60,106     46,615
    ------        -----       -----     ------     ------
    SONATA        7,790       7,943    101,365    105,385
    ------        -----       -----    -------    -------
    ELANTRA       8,673       2,673     91,379     88,817
    -------       -----       -----     ------     ------
    TIBURON           0         558      8,579      8,288
    -------           -         ---      -----      -----
    SANTA FE      6,448       3,794     64,515     60,423
    --------      -----       -----     ------     ------
    AZERA           298         361      3,230     13,798
    -----           ---         ---      -----     ------
    TUCSON          848         988     13,620     17,235
    ------          ---         ---     ------     ------
    ENTOURAGE         1         461      3,424      4,821
    ---------         -         ---      -----      -----
    VERACRUZ        516         699      9,220      9,126
    --------        ---         ---      -----      -----
    GENESIS       1,850       1,121     17,784      3,976
    -------       -----       -----     ------      -----
    TOTAL        31,005      20,820    373,222    358,484
    -----        ------      ------    -------    -------

Journalists are invited to visit our news media website: www.hyundainews.com

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America