Korean major automakers kept up growth in car sales in January, while chip shortage battered the overall auto industry across the globe, with choices in the new buys centering either big or small wheels.

According to the Korean Automobile Manufacturers Association on Tuesday, domestic sales of Korea-produced passenger vehicles totaled 98,353 units in January, up 19.2 percent from a year ago.

Subcompact cars sold 7,516 units after losing 4.4 percent on year, and mid-size vehicles 12,581 units, down 41 percent. Sales of compact cars grew 44.7 percent to 32,322 units, large-size cars up 62.1 percent to 37,662 units, and full-size luxury cars up 6.7 percent to 8,272 units.

Subcompact cars, which had sold more than 180,000 units thanks to low maintenance cost, tax breaks and better mileage in the past, now are fast losing ground amid a shift in customers’ interest into bigger models.

Production of many models in the subcompact segment are now discontinued, and three of the survivors – Kia Morning, Chevrolet Spark and Renault Samsung Twizy – saw sales fall in January.

In the mid-size segment, sales of flagship models such as Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, Chevrolet Malibu and Renault Samsung SM6 all shriveled in the absence of new releases. Sport utility vehicle models including Kia Sportage and Renault Samsung QM6 also failed to see a sales growth amid intensifying competition with foreign brands.

Hyundai Motor plugged off its Asan plant on Feb. 8-12 due to the weak sales of its once-flagship Sonata sedan.

Among the compact cars, Hyundai Avante drove the segment’s growth with sales of 6,552 units in January alone. Avante has stayed popular since the launch of the latest model in March last year when its pre-orders topped 10,000 on the first day.

In the United States, the model known as Elantra snatched the 2021 Car of the Year title, beating Genesis G80 and Nissan Sentra sedans at the 2021 North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) Awards in the world’s largest auto market.

In the large-size and family-size premium vehicle segments, new releases such as Hyundai Grandeur and Genesis G80 were received well. The Grandeur large sedan that broke the 2-million-unit sales milestone at home last year sold 8,081 units in January alone, becoming the best-selling model on home turf for three consecutive months.

In February, shipments by South Korean car producers rose 4.8 percent on year to total 544,823 units thanks to increased sales at home, according to data compiled by the five finished vehicle makers on Wednesday.

GM Korea under U.S. automaker General Motors Co. suffering semiconductor shortages reported a fall of 13.7 percent to 24,265 units, and troubled SsangYong Motor Co. a 60.9 percent plunge to 2,789 units.

Hyundai Motor and Kia posted a sales jump both at home and abroad. Hyundai Motor delivered total 300,248 units, gaining 6.7 percent from the previous year. It sold 52,102 units at home and 248,146 units overseas.

Kia sold total 210,177 units, up 7.0 percent on year – 37,583 units in Korea and 172,594 units outside the country.

By Park Yun-gu and Lee Ha-yeon

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]