(LEAD) HMA posts 24 pct sales rise in January amid Toyota's recall

(ATTN: ADDS KMA's sales figure in 12th para)
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor America said Tuesday its auto sales
jumped 24.4 percent in January year-on-year as Toyota Motor Corp. suffered a 16
percent sales setback due to the recall of millions of vehicles and the sales
suspension of eight models.

Hyundai is said to be among the biggest beneficiaries of the woes of Toyota,
which will begin fixing faulty accelerator pedals on millions of its top-selling
Camry sedans and seven other vehicles later this week.
HMA said it sold 30,503 vehicles in January, up from 24,512 a year earlier,
accounting for 4.7 percent of the U.S. auto market in January, estimated at
650,000 vehicles.
Its new Tucson sport utility vehicle recorded a whopping 127.5 percent increase
to 2,216, the South Korean automaker said, hoping its new Sonata sedan will hit
the market this month to contribute to HMA's sales surge.
HMA plans to launch advertisements for the Sonata during Sunday's Super Bowl.
Sales of Elantra and Accent compact sedans also rose 132.5 percent and 61.4
percent to 7,690 and 5,747, respectively, while Hyundai's Genesis premium sedan
saw a sales increase of 58.1 percent to 1,670.
HMA sold 435,064 vehicles last year, up 8.3 percent from a year earlier, as its
American and Japanese competitors slumped amid the worst recession in decades.
Hyundai's sister company, Kia Motor America, said that sales were up 0.1 percent
to 22,123, helped by its new Sorento sport utility vehicle, with sales of 7,398
units in January.
The recall of vehicles by Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, also led to a
drastic increase in sales for American automakers, struggling with restructuring,
industry sources said.
Ford witnessed a sales increase of 25 percent and General Motors' sales were up
14 percent. Chrysler, however, was down 8 percent.
Honda's sales fell 5 percent and Nissan Motors posted a 16 percent gain.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)

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