Hyundai, Kia overseas production hits record high in Q1

Overseas production by Hyundai Motor and its sister brand Kia Motors hit a record 1,093,881 units in the first quarter, corporate data showed Tuesday.

The total represents a 6.1 percent increase from 1,031,316 vehicles in the same cited period last year and the highest reached in a three-month period, figures provided by the two automakers showed.

Foreign production of Hyundai cars rose 4 percent on-year to 754,222 units, while numbers for Kia shot up 10.9 percent to 339,659 vehicles.

Hyundai and Kia, flagship companies of Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s fifth-largest automotive conglomerate, said the increase stems from steady increase in production capacity in overseas production plants that are better tailored to meet specific market conditions.

Production numbers in China and Turkey have all gone up in recent months that helped output this year. Turkey’s plant build Hyundai cars like the supermini i10 for Europe.

South Korea’s two largest carmakers have said that they faced production capacity constraints last year that affected overall sales. (Yonhap)