South Korea’s second-largest tire-maker Kumho Tire is riding the wave of strong demand for sport utility vehicles led by growing popularity of family leisure and outdoor camping activities here.

SUVs accounted for 34 percent of the total auto market last year, with steady growth since 2011. In line with the trend, tire companies are also shifting their sales strategy to meet growing demand for SUVs. 


Kumho Tire’s product sales for SUVs have grown 24 percent over the last three years.

Among them, Crugen, which is optimized for high-performance SUVs, has gained much traction, the company said. The premium tire is equipped with diverse functions to raise the performance of handling, braking force and high-speed safety on the road.

“Crugen is the fruit of efforts to meet market demand. We will continue to develop products in line with the changing trends of vehicle demand and lifestyles,” said Choo Kyung-tae, a marketing director of Kumho Tire.

The tire-maker is currently providing its original equipment tires for Hyundai Motor’s Santa Fe, Kia Motors’ Sorento and SsangYong’s Korando C.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)