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A common view holds that American buyers have moved on from sedans, and Ford leaned into that idea by pulling out of the conventional car space. Sales figures for Hyundai and Kia this year point in a different direction, with several of their cars posting gains.

• Hyundai’s Elantra rose 39 percent for the month and 11 percent for the year.
• Kia’s K5 climbed 14 percent in July, while the Seltos subcompact SUV nearly doubled.
• Ford left conventional cars a few years ago, keeping SUVs, pickups, and the Mustang.

Hyundai’s Sedans Post Gains

The Elantra led the way. Hyundai’s compact sedan sold 17,115 units in July, up 39 percent from 12,354 a year earlier, lifting its year-to-date total to 96,954, an 11 percent increase over the 87,122 recorded through the same point in 2025. By the article’s ranking, that makes the Elantra Hyundai’s second-best-selling model, behind the Tucson and ahead of the Santa Fe.

The larger Sonata moved in smaller numbers but the same direction. Hyundai sold 5,218 in July, an 18 percent gain over July 2025, and reached 42,275 for the year, up 13 percent from 37,399.

Kia Leans on the K5 and K4

Kia’s midsize K5 outpaced its smaller sibling in percentage terms, with July sales up 14 percent from 5,879 to 6,694 and a year-to-date total of 45,088, an 11 percent rise. The K4, which replaced the Forte, had a more mixed run. July deliveries, blended with remaining Forte sales, edged up from 11,188 in 2025 to 12,094 this year, while the yearly figure slipped slightly to 85,673 from 86,723. The article ranks the K4 behind the Sportage and just barely ahead of the Telluride within Kia’s lineup.

The comparison here is limited to Hyundai and Kia’s own figures. Broader sedan matchups, such as a Nissan Altima vs. Toyota Camry face-off, are not part of the data this report covers.

Subcompact SUVs Add to the Picture

The gains were not limited to cars. Kia’s Seltos nearly doubled its monthly sales, rising from 4,917 units to 8,807, and reached 41,311 for the year, a 38 percent increase over last year’s 29,856. Hyundai’s entries in the class were more muted. The Venue rose 12 percent for the month to 2,879 units and 3 percent for the year to 18,504, while the Kona slipped 4 percent in July to 6,040 and 8 percent for the year to 42,209.

What the Numbers Suggest

The article frames Ford’s exit as notable given that it dropped not only sedans but also some of the most affordable subcompact segments, even though SUVs sell at a range of price points. Against that backdrop, the Hyundai and Kia results show continued demand for lower-cost cars and small crossovers. The piece stops short of declaring a winner, but it presents the figures as evidence that traditional cars still have a place in these lineups.

Reading the Results in Context

Month-to-month sales can swing for many reasons, and a single strong July does not settle a long-running debate about the future of the sedan. What the data does show is that two brands kept building cars that others stepped away from, and that those models are drawing buyers for now. For shoppers weighing a practical, efficient car, the report suggests the segment is far from empty.