[Yonhap Photo]
SEOUL, Jan. 02 (Aju News) -- Car sales of South Korea's Hyundai auto group hit a four-year low last year, falling far short of its earlier goal due to poor performances abroad, prompting the world's fifth-largest carmaker to set a modest target for 2018.
In 2017, Hyundai Motor's sales fell 6.5 percent on-year to 4.5 million units while sales of its affiliate, Kia Motors, were down 7.8 percent to 2.75 million. Together, the two companies sold a total of 7.25 million vehicles last year, marking the poorest performance since 2013.
Hyundai Motor sold 3.81 million units abroad in 2017, down 8.2 from a year ago, and Kia's overseas sales were down 9.0 percent to 2.22 million.
For 2018, the two companies set a goal of selling 7.5 million vehicles together, citing slow global economic growth and weak demand in major markets. Hyundai's sales in China have been hit hard by a diplomatic row over the deployment of a U.S. missile shield in South Korea.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
