Hyundai Motor Group's European market share tops 5 pct in April

SEOUL, May 18 (Yonhap) -- The market share of South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group in Europe rose to an eight-month high last month, resurging to more than 5 percent for the first time since August 2010, a European industry group said Wednesday. According to data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, or ACEA, the combined market share of Hyundai Motor Group comprised 58,922 vehicles sold, or 5.2 percent of all new passenger vehicles registered in Europe in April. The group includes South Korea's largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and second-largest Kia Motors Corp. The combined market share of Hyundai and Kia in the first four months of the year came to 4.6 percent, ahead of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp., whose market share, including sales of its luxury brand Lexus, came to 4.5 percent. In 2010, Hyundai Motor Group sold 618,971 cars in Europe, taking up only 4 percent of the market. The best-selling brand in the European market in April was Volkswagen with a market share of 24.5 percent, followed by PSA Peugeot Citroen with a 11.8 percent market share, according to the ACEA.