Hyundai-i30 blue

Hyundai Motor racked up record sales in the first quarter of 2008, as did sister company Kia Motors, according to a report on Korea’s five major automakers released on Tuesday.

Hyundai sold a total of 712,529 units (not including exports of half-finished cars) in the January-to-March quarter for a gain of 16.4 percent year-on-year. Domestic sales totaled 158,338 units while overseas sales totaled 554,191.

Hyundai had a 52.4 percent share of the domestic market in the first quarter, remaining in the 50 percent range for a 13th consecutive month. The company was Korea’s leading seller of mid-size autos, selling 36,404 Sonatas in the quarter, up 33.8 percent year-on-year. Hyundai’s new luxury sedan Genesis, which made a high-profile debut in January, sold 7,982 units in this period.