Hyundai April Sales Fall 8% After Supplier Fire Disrupts Parts Supply

Hyundai Motor Co.'s global sales fell sharply last month after a fire at supplier Safe Industry disrupted parts supply.

Hyundai said on May 4 that it sold 325,589 vehicles worldwide in April, down 8% from a year earlier.

Domestic sales in South Korea fell 19.9% to 54,051 vehicles. Hyundai attributed the decline to production disruptions in models equipped with 2.5-liter turbo engines after the Safe Industry fire in March. The impact hit key models including the Palisade, G80, G70, GV80 and GV70.

Sedan sales totaled 18,326 vehicles, including 6,622 Grandeurs, 5,754 Sonatas and 5,475 Avantes. Recreational vehicle sales came to 19,284 units, including 3,422 Palisades, 3,902 Santa Fes, 3,858 Tucsons, 2,559 Konas and 1,142 Caspers.

Hyundai sold 4,843 Porters and 339 Starias. Sales of medium- and large-sized buses and trucks totaled 1,562 vehicles. Genesis, the company's luxury brand, sold 6,868 vehicles, led by the G80 with 2,523 units, followed by the GV70 with 2,068 and the GV80 with 1,693.

Overseas sales fell 5.1% to 271,538 vehicles.

Sales declined temporarily last month as supplier parts shortages coincided with waiting demand for new models, a Hyundai official said. The company plans to expand sales this year by launching a series of competitive new vehicles, starting with the facelifted Grandeur, the official added.

Choi Su-jin, Hankyung.com reporter naive@hankyung.com