ANFAC data show Hyundai registered 3,013 vehicles in Spain in September 2026, down 31.6% year on year, while the rest of the market grew by 10.2%. No major carmaker recorded a steeper decline. Hyundai has fallen from fifth to eighth place this year as Chinese rivals gain ground and demand for its small cars and SUVs weakens.
Two factors stand out. Buyers have been waiting for the new Tucson, draining sales from Hyundai’s top model. Chinese SUV brands Omoda and Jaecoo have also drawn thousands of customers the company once counted on, as has Ebro. Hyundai is now outside Spain’s top five.
Market shake-up
Last year, Hyundai was Spain’s fifth most popular car brand, selling 48,809 units from January to September 2025. Sales have since dropped to 39,807, an 18.4% fall, and the brand has slipped to eighth place. Hyundai lost 9,002 sales, more than Renault and Ford combined in the same period. Its market share shrank from 5.7% to 4.4%. EL ESPAÑOL-Invertia reports that Chinese brands grew by 65.5% in the first nine months of 2026, reaching 153,204 units.
The biggest hit came in Hyundai’s small cars. The i10, once a common sight in Spanish cities, lost 80% of its sales this year, falling from more than 4,000 units to just 800. The i20 and Bayon also fell sharply, as did the Inster. Together, these models account for nearly 80% of Hyundai’s lost sales. In September, they lost 680 units, half of Hyundai’s monthly decline. Analysts say Hyundai faces the most pressure in compact and SUV segments, where Chinese brands and electrified models are in high demand.
Chinese brands on the offensive
Chinese SUV makers are gaining fast. Omoda and Jaecoo, along with Ebro, nearly doubled their combined sales in Spain over the past year. In September, the three registered 6,106 vehicles, lifting their market share from 3.9% to 6.5%. So far this year, they have sold 49,563 cars, more than Hyundai. Chinese automakers now have a direct presence in Spain. ANFAC data show Omoda sold 2,394 vehicles in September, up 115.9%, while Jaecoo added 1,616 units, up 64.2%. Both are gaining ground.
In September 2026, Ebro sold 2,096 vehicles in Spain, up 76% year on year, making it a basic driver of the Chinese brands’ surge.
Hyundai’s timing couldn’t be worse. The new Tucson was unveiled yesterday and is Hyundai’s basic hope for a comeback. The outgoing Tucson remains the only Hyundai in Spain’s top ten, but even it dropped 20.2% in September, with just 1,108 units sold. Hyundai is counting on pent-up demand for the new model.
Winners and losers
Hyundai’s problems go beyond SUVs. The i30, once a steady seller, fell 59.4% in September. The Ioniq electric range is growing, but from a tiny base: all four Ioniq models together sold just 93 units last month, only 3% of Hyundai’s total.
Meanwhile, Omoda and Jaecoo, together with Ebro, captured almost half of the market’s year-on-year growth, adding 26,305 units between them. BYD and Leapmotor are also moving up, as is Mazda. Hyundai is being squeezed, while the rest of the market grew by just 0.8% this year.
Unanswered questions
Official statistics don’t show whether Hyundai’s losses are concentrated among private buyers, fleets, or rentals. It is also unclear how much the shift to electrified cars, now a third of the market, has hurt the company. Hyundai’s image as an affordable, well-equipped Korean choice has faded: prices are up and market share is down.
The new Tucson is now in showrooms, giving Hyundai a major test. If it sparks demand, the brand might stop the slide before year’s end. If not, Hyundai could fall further behind. Chinese rivals are still gaining ground.
