Hyundai-Kia move up a gear to number 4 spot

Kia's share of the local market is more than 4 per cent.

Kia Motors, with affiliate Hyundai, has overtaken Ford to become the world's fourth largest carmaker.

Previously in fifth place, the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group moved into fourth position based on global vehicle sales for the first six months of the year, figures show.

Toyota, GM and VW occupy the top three places.

Collectively, Kia and Hyundai sold 2.153 million vehicles in the first half of this year, overtaking Ford on 2.145 million. This time last year they were trailing Ford by more than a million vehicles and just 10 years ago, when the two Korean companies formed their alliance, they were in 11th place.

The pair reached sixth place in 2006 and rose to fifth a year later.

Now industry commentators are predicting that Kia and Hyundai will not only hold on to the fourth place ranking, but increase the margin over Ford, as their sales have fallen much less significantly than any other major vehicle manufacturer as a result of the global recession.

In recent months they have posted gains, with record July sales for Kia in China (up 101 per cent), its home market in Korea (up 26.5 per cent) and the US (up 7.8 per cent).

A spokesperson said that "as a result of producing the right product for the right times, the group has managed to take fourth place much quicker than had been predicted".

Kia Motors NZ has seen its share of the local market rise for the first six months of 2009 to more than 4 per cent, from just under 3 per cent.

General manager Todd McDonald said Kia had continued to introduce newer, design-led products even as the market had taken a hit from the economic downturn.