Chevrolet Cruze tops U.S. compact market for 3rd month

SEOUL, July 7 (Yonhap) -- GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of U.S. automaker General Motors Co., said Thursday that its Chevrolet Cruze ranked as the best-selling compact car in the United States for the third straight month in June. U.S. sales of the compact passenger car reached 24,896 units last month, outstripping rivals such as the Ford Motor Co.'s Focus and the Elantra made by South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co., GM Korea said. The Cruze, first introduced in the U.S. market last year, has gained popularity for its stylish exterior, quiet and roomy interior, and outstanding safety. It has received the highest marks in crash tests conducted on compact cars in the United States, South Korea, Australia and China. GM Korea said that strong June sales contributed to an increase in sales of all Chevrolet-brand cars made by General Motors in the U.S, which rose 15.6 percent on-year to 904,548 vehicles in the first half of this year. Sales of the Cruze reached 122,972 units in the period. GM Korea, meanwhile, said that local sales of the Cruze made at its Gunsan plant, 274 kilometers south of Seoul, hit 2,363 units in June with exports reaching 16,206 cars. The Gunsan plant makes cars for South Korea and all other markets outside of the U.S. and China.