(LEAD) Hyundai, Kia sell nearly 1 mln vehicles in Europe last year

(ATTN: ADDS 2017 sales data in China and U.S. in last para)

SEOUL, Jan. 19 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. sold nearly 1 million vehicles in Europe last year, offsetting sales declines in China and the United States, the companies said Friday.

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors sold a combined 995,383 vehicles in Europe in 2017, up 5.8 percent from 940,693 autos a year earlier, a Hyundai Motor spokesman said, citing sales figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association.

Hyundai's sales in Europe rose 3.5 percent on-year to 523,258 units last year, and Kia's jumped 8.5 percent to 472,215 units. They together accounted for a 6.3 percent share of the European passenger car market, the data showed.

In China, the two carmakers sold a total of 1.15 million autos last year, down 36 percent from 1.79 million units a year earlier. In the U.S., their sales declined 10 percent to 1.28 million from 1.42 million during the same period.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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