October 2012: Hyundai Motor America

COSTA MESA, Calif., Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America today announced sales of 50,271 vehicles in October, a four percent total sales decline compared with the same record-setting period a year ago. Sales are up 8.2 percent through the first 10 months of the year versus 2011.

"October was a somewhat challenging month for us and the industry," said Dave Zuchowski, executive vice president of sales. "It appears industry volume may have temporarily stalled due to a blend of an extremely tight and undecided Presidential race, lingering economic uncertainty tied to 'fiscal cliff' anxiety, and the devastating impact Hurricane Sandy had on our dealers and millions of residents along the Eastern seaboard."

The all-new Azera and the Elantra family continued to gain, with sales up 1,949 percent and 12 percent, respectively, over last October. The all-new 2013 Santa Fe, recently crowned the "2012 Compact CUV of Texas" by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA), saw sales gains of 16 percent. Hyundai fleet sales and mix remained low at a 10 percent mix for the month and nine percent year-to-date, among the lowest in the industry.

"The good news is that as we head into the last two months of the year, our Hyundai dealers have improved availability of our three best-selling models -- Sonata, Elantra, and Santa Fe – thanks to the hard work of our U.S. manufacturing team," said John Krafcik, president and CEO. "We'll also continue to work with our dealers in areas impacted by Sandy to ensure vehicles lost to the storm are replaced as quickly as possible."