Sales of Hyundai Motor Co.'s Tucson compact SUV are expected to surpass 4 million units later this month, 11 years after it first hit the road, industry data showed Sunday.
  

According to the data, the South Korean auto company had sold slightly over a cumulative 3.95 million units of the Tucson as of the end of February.
  

With average monthly sales of 45,000 units, the number will likely pierce the landmark 4 million plateau within March to become the first South Korean SUV to acclaim the honor.
  

The Tucson was first launched in 2004. It reached 1 million sales in 2008 and touched the 3 million mark in 2013.
  

Its pace of 11 years is faster than its rival Rav 4 of Toyota Motor Corp., which reached 4 million units in 2013, 18 years after its launch.
  

The stellar sales are driven by rising demand in Europe, where SUVs are popular as a total of 94,166 units of the Tucson were sold there last year.
   

The all-new Tucson, the third-generation model, was unveiled last month and will make its U.S. and European debuts in the second half. (Yonhap)