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Hyundai reported that hybrids accounted for a record 29% of its U.S. sales in October 2026, while overall sales rose 5% year over year to 73,452 vehicles. Kia also reported higher hybrid sales and rebounds in several EV models, though comparisons for some electric vehicles reflect a weak October 2025 after the federal tax credit expired.
Hybrids made up 29% of Hyundai’s U.S. sales in October 2026, the company said Tuesday, the highest share it has reported for gas-electric vehicles. The figure arrived as Hyundai’s overall sales rose 5% year over year and Kia reported higher hybrid sales and rebounds in several electric models, amid persistently high gasoline prices cited in the report as a factor shaping buyer interest.
Hyundai sold 73,452 vehicles in the United States during October, up 5% from October 2025. Its year-to-date sales reached 770,916 vehicles through October, 3% above the same period in 2025. The company does not publish separate monthly totals for every hybrid model, instead reporting sales under individual model names. It said hybrid versions of the Santa Fe and Palisade set October sales records.
Hyundai’s all-electric Ioniq 5 also gained ground: sales reached 1,981 units, up 21% year over year. Kia, Hyundai’s sister brand, sold 80,008 vehicles in October and reported year-to-date sales of 747,394. Kia said its hybrid sales rose 114% year over year, with demand for hybrid versions of the Sportage, Sorento and Carnival contributing to the increase.
Kia also posted higher sales for several electric models. The EV9 reached 1,406 units, up 111%, while EV6 sales rose 58% to 803. Kia reported 976 EV3 sales as production and deliveries of the newly launched model ramp up. The EV3 starts at $31,385, including destination, according to the source report. These are model sales figures; they do not establish that high fuel prices alone caused the changes.
Fuel Costs Favor Hybrid Demand
The October results show that hybrids are an increasingly visible part of Hyundai’s U.S. sales mix. Unlike a fully electric vehicle, a conventional hybrid can use gasoline and does not need to be plugged in, which may appeal to shoppers looking to reduce fuel use without relying on public or home charging. The reported record share offers a useful indicator of demand, even though Hyundai has not disclosed the separate October unit totals behind the 29% figure.
Kia’s increases matter for a different reason: they suggest activity in both its hybrid lineup and electric models. The EV3’s early sales are worth watching because its lower starting price places it among the more affordable new electric vehicles in the U.S. But October figures alone cannot show whether the increases represent a lasting change in demand, a launch effect, or a recovery from unusually weak prior-year comparisons.
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The 2025 Tax-Credit Comparison
Some of the reported EV gains come against a difficult comparison period. The source report says buyers brought purchases forward ahead of the September 2025 federal EV tax-credit deadline, followed by a drop in demand. October 2025 sales for the Ioniq 5, EV6 and EV9 were therefore weak, meaning the year-over-year increases in October 2026 should be read alongside that low base rather than as proof of a broad, sustained surge.
The report also describes the wider EV market as recovering after the post-incentive decline, with the third quarter recording its strongest performance since that period. For Hyundai, a potential future source of EV demand may be commercial: CEO José Muñoz said in September the company was preparing to supply Waymo with tens of thousands of Ioniq 5-based robotaxis. The source does not give a delivery schedule or say how many vehicles would be included in the October sales figures.
“29% of its total October sales volume in the U.S. were hybrids.”
— Hyundai
Sales Mix Leaves Details Open
Hyundai has not disclosed the number of hybrids sold in October or a model-by-model breakdown, so the 29% share cannot be translated from the supplied information into precise hybrid unit totals. The report links strong hybrid interest to high gasoline prices, but it does not establish how much of the change was caused by fuel costs rather than vehicle availability, pricing, promotions or other factors.
The durability of Kia’s EV gains is also unclear. Several models were measured against weak October 2025 results following the tax-credit expiration, and the EV3’s launch is still ramping up. The report provides October sales figures but not later-month results, order data or a full breakdown of retail and fleet purchases. It also does not specify when the planned Waymo vehicle supply will begin or how quickly it will build.
Watch Monthly Sales and Deliveries
The next monthly sales reports will show whether Hyundai’s 29% hybrid share holds and whether Kia’s hybrid and EV growth continues beyond October. Later results will also offer a less distorted comparison as the industry moves farther from the 2025 tax-credit deadline and as Kia increases EV3 production and deliveries.
For Hyundai’s potential Waymo supply, the next useful details would be a confirmed delivery schedule and vehicle volume. Until those are disclosed, the robotaxi plan is a prospective source of demand, not a reported addition to consumer sales. The available October data establish the sales totals and reported year-over-year changes, but not the longer-term direction of either brand’s electrified-vehicle market.
Key Questions
Hyundai said hybrids accounted for 29% of U.S. sales, its highest reported share for gas-electric vehicles. The company did not provide a separate total number of hybrid units in the source report.
How many vehicles did Hyundai and Kia sell in October?
Hyundai sold 73,452 vehicles in the United States, up 5% year over year. Kia sold 80,008 vehicles. The figures are for October 2026.
Did Kia’s electric vehicle sales increase?
Kia reported year-over-year increases for the EV9 and EV6: 1,406 EV9s, up 111%, and 803 EV6s, up 58%. The source cautions that those comparisons were against a weak October 2025, after the federal EV tax credit expired.
What was the starting price of the Kia EV3?
The report lists the EV3’s starting price as $31,385, including destination. It also says the model’s production and deliveries were still ramping up after its U.S. launch.
Source: insideevs.com
