SEOUL Hyundai Motor Group said Thursday its vehicle sales plunged 31 percent in the United States last month from a year earlier, as the spread of the coronavirus began to affect production and sales. In March, Hyundai Motor Co., its independent brand Genesis, and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. sold a combined 81,500 vehicles in the U.S., down from 118,441 units a year ago, the companies’ sales data showed. “It goes without saying that the entire world is facing a tremendous challenge that is having a significant impact on business and our normal way of life. We know tough days are ahead, but we’re doing all we can to position the company to survive this and return to the growth trajectory we’ve been on,” Randy Parker, vice president in charge of national sales at Hyundai Motor America, said in a statement. Hyundai and Genesis posted a 42 percent on-year drop in U.S. sales at 36,087 units last month.—Yonhap
