Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s fifth-largest automotive conglomerate, said Tuesday that its U.S. sales had dipped 2.76 percent on-year to 98,608 units, mainly due to weaker demand for older models.

The on-year decrease, however, was offset by more cars sold by the two carmakers compared to the month before, when combined sales hit 94,775.

Hyundai Motor America, the distribution and marketing arm of the group’s flagship company, said sales were down 4.16 percent to 53,672 cars, while Kia Motors America sold 44,936 vehicles in November, a loss of 1.06 percent from the year before.

U.S. sales accounted for 14.13 percent of all Hyundai and Kia cars sold around the world last month.

Hyundai’s global sales rose to 430,026 units last month from 412,431 units a year earlier, while numbers for Kia were also up from 257,261 units to 267,734 units.

HMA said despite the overall fall in cars sold, which was in part brought on by record sales set last year, consumer demand for the all-new Genesis premium sedan jumped 22.22 percent on-year to 2,431 units.

Sales of the all-new Sonata, which started hitting showrooms in the summer, advanced 11.6 percent to 18,515 units. Sales of its Sante Fe midsize and Tucson compact crossovers were up last month compared to the year before, while demand for older models like the Accent and Elantra lost some ground. (Yonhap)