Seoul: Combined vehicle sales of Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. in the United States climbed 17.4 percent on-year in October thanks to increased demand for the automakers’ hybrid models, the companies said Monday. The companies’ combined U.S. sales totaled 147,613 units last month, marking the highest combined sales for any previous October.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Hyundai Motor, including Genesis models, sold 78,705 units, reflecting an 18.3 percent increase, while Kia’s sales rose 16.5 percent to 68,908 units. Eco-friendly vehicle sales for both companies surged 52 percent on-year to 31,668 units. Hybrid vehicles notably led the segment with a 64.9 percent increase to 21,679 units, setting a new monthly record.

Hybrid versions of Hyundai’s Tucson SUV and Kia’s Carnival minivan experienced substantial sales growth. The Tucson hybrid recorded a 110 percent sales increase, reaching 6,790 units, while the Carnival hybrid model sold 1,941 units.