Numerous brands are reporting sales dips across their top-selling models in 2026. From the Toyota RAV4 to the Ford F-Series, the models we once thought were foolproof are losing sales to some unlikely heroes in 2026. Of course, there are reasons for these sales drops, including, but not limited to, rising gas prices and limited inventory. That said, Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are rising above the challenging market, primarily thanks to diverse lineups of affordable, well-equipped models — which seem to be the remedy for market uncertainty in 2026.
Gray 2026 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Rear 3/4 View While DrivingHyundai
Both Kia and Hyundai posted small April year-over-year sales dips. Both attribute this to April 2025’s influx of sales before tariffs hit, and most brands are reflecting this variance. That said, Genesis is reporting a 4% gain for Q1 2026. Moreover, the areas in which the Korean conglomerate is seeing impressive jumps are areas where others are experiencing hesitation. Sedans from Toyota and Honda, including the Camry, Corolla, Accord, and Civic, are still moving units and seeing year-over-year gains, though we expect as much. What we didn’t expect, however, was Hyundai and Kia’s noteworthy EV and hybrid sales.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid — Front Three-QuarterCraig Cole | TopSpeed
Starting with Hyundai, the clear sales champion is the Sonata Hybrid, which posted its best month ever with a 171% increase over April 2025; the full Sonata line posted an 18% increase for April year-over-year. Hyundai’s hybrid vehicles, in general, are up 52%, with the Elantra Hybrid posting a 55% April year-over-year increase, while the full Elantra line ran a 13% increase for April year-over-year and a 3% increase year-to-date. Even the Santa Fe Hybrid set a new retail record by running an increase of 3%.
2026 Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro off-roadingTopSpeed | Michael Frank
The Palisade had its best April ever in both retail and total sales, running a 10% and 8% increase, respectively. And, despite the huge drop in EV sales in 2026, the Ioniq 5 raked in 6% growth.
Kia Has Even More Models Posting Their Best Months Ever
Kia, as a brand, reported April YTD sales of 279,718 units — up 2% compared to the first four months of 2025, achieving a new record for Kia for the first four months of the year. Like Hyundai, hybrid and electrified models are posting top-selling April year-over-year numbers, including the Sportage Hybrid (+112%) and Sorento Hybrid (+34%). But the real standout seller from Kia is the EV9, which saw a 481% April year-over-year increase.
2025 Kia EV9 Exterior Rear Three-QuarterKia
Kia set an April YTD record, with increases of 81% for hybrids and 41% for EVs. Kia models that set new April YTD records include:
- K4 (+1%)
- Telluride (+19%)
- Sportage ICE (+5%)
- Sportage HEV (+117%)
- Carnival (+16%)
- Sorento HEV (+7%)
What Korean Brands Are Doing To Maintain Momentum In 2026
Front 3/4 shot of 2027 Kia Telluride parkedNicole Wakelin/Top Speed
Simply put, they’re keeping their lineups fresh, diverse, affordable, and well-equipped. Hyundai/Kia’s modern reliability is also on par with many top names, like Toyota and Honda, meaning more buyers now trust Kia and Hyundai, which, paired with the sharp, contemporary styling and feature-rich cabins, makes for a compelling brand in 2026, considering we’re facing tariff fallout, global conflict, rising prices, and political strife. In other words, they’re adapting to the changing market better than many brands that believe their formula will never fail. This sentiment is echoed by both Hyundai and Kia, with Eric Watson, VP of sales operations at Kia America, stating:
Achieving record sales milestones amid challenging market conditions highlights the company’s ability to align with customers’ evolving preferences for SUVs and hybrid vehicles.
Sales gains are a tricky thing to get excited about. As mentioned, legacy models like the Toyota RAV4 and Ford F-Series are posting losses, while the EV9 and Sonata Hybrid are posting 100+% increases. In reality, the F-Series sold 62,048 units in April 2026 alone, outselling the entire Sonata line and EV9’s YTD figure by tens of thousands. Hyundai and Kia’s sales are still impressive for the simple fact that, again, they’re succeeding in areas that have other brands scrambling.
Sources: Kia, Hyundai, Genesis
