Hyundai's January Ledger: The Hybrid Bridge Is Holding

55,624.

Hyundai Motor America said that is its January 2026 sales total. It called it a record for the month and said it was up 2% from January 2025.

The more useful number is the mix. Hyundai said hybrid sales rose 60% year over year.

Hyundai also broke out model level results. It said Santa Fe Hybrid sales rose 43% from a year earlier.

The battery electric side read differently. Hyundai said IONIQ 5 sales fell 6% to 2,126 units. It said IONIQ 6 fell 61% to 344.

Hyundai pointed to early momentum for IONIQ 9, which it said delivered 580 units in January.

Cox Automotive’s January forecast framed the broader market as a slow start, with a seasonally adjusted annual rate near the mid 15 million range. That is the backdrop for why a strong hybrid month matters. It is a way to sell electrification without asking buyers to change everything at once.

The next thing to watch is whether the hybrid surge holds when winter weather fades. If the hybrid line stays strong while the EV line stays soft, Hyundai’s bridge strategy stops being a talking point and starts being the business.