Record sales of Hyundai hybrids amid rising fuel prices
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the US reached $4.29, nearly $1.15 more than a year ago. In some states, like California, the price exceeds $6 per gallon. This has significantly impacted the automotive market.
Due to high fuel prices, buyers are increasingly choosing hybrids and electric vehicles. This is especially noticeable at Hyundai: hybrid sales increased by 90% compared to last year. The biggest leap was shown by the Sonata Hybrid — +250%. Sales of hybrid versions of the Santa Fe (+30%), Elantra (+29%), and Tucson (+10%) also grew.
Electric vehicles are also recovering after the cancellation of the federal tax credit last year. The Ioniq 5 had its best May ever: sales rose by 28% to 5,002 units. Since the start of the year, 18,395 buyers have purchased this model (+16%).
The Ioniq 9 also shows positive momentum: 1,145 cars were sold in May, which is 279% more than last year.
Overall statistics and sales leaders
Overall, Hyundai sales in May increased by 3% to 87,468 units. The main driver was the Tucson, which found 20,581 buyers. In second place is the affordable Elantra with 16,819 cars (+7%). The Palisade is also in demand: 13,089 units were sold (+17%).
Models that lost ground
Unsurprisingly, the biggest drop was recorded for the Ioniq 6 — minus 85% to 176 cars. This is because the company discontinued the base version, and the high-performance N modification has not yet gone on sale in the US.
The Santa Cruz lost 41% of buyers, and the Venue — 27%. The latter model looks outdated, and the pickup truck on a universal chassis is likely living its last months on the market.
Hyundai US sales table (May 2026)
| Model | May 26 | May 25 | Change % |
| Elantra | 16,819 | 15,741 | +7% |
| Ioniq 5 | 5,002 | 3,898 | +28% |
| Ioniq 6 | 176 | 1,197 | -85% |
| Ioniq 9 | 1,145 | 302 | +279% |
| Kona | 6,036 | 7,779 | -22% |
| Palisade | 13,089 | 11,207 | +17% |
| Santa Cruz | 1,785 | 3,031 | -41% |
| Santa Fe | 11,220 | 11,030 | +2% |
| Sonata | 8,456 | 6,082 | +39% |
| Tucson | 20,581 | 19,905 | +3% |
| Venue | 3,159 | 4,349 | -27% |
Interestingly, despite the overall growth of the electric vehicle market, some Hyundai models are facing serious difficulties. The 85% drop in Ioniq 6 sales suggests that buyers are not willing to pay for outdated design or limited functionality when fresher alternatives exist. At the same time, the success of the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 shows that properly positioned electric vehicles can compete even without tax incentives. Overall, Hyundai’s May results confirm a global trend: high fuel costs accelerate the transition to electrified models, but manufacturers have to be more careful about which cars to offer to the market.