Hyundai climbs Interbrand rankings

Hyundai Motor has moved up to fourth place among automotive brands in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2026 ranking, while also climbing to 29th among the world’s leading brands.

The South Korean automaker’s estimated brand value reached $25 billion, up two percent from last year. Hyundai rose from sixth to fourth in the automotive category and extended its record of consecutive annual brand value growth to 17 years.

The latest ranking follows a year of higher electrified vehicle sales and several industry awards for Hyundai’s SUVs. The company has also increased its investments in robotics and vehicle software.

Hyundai sold 961,812 electrified vehicles worldwide in 2025, an increase of 27 percent from the previous year. The figure included 275,669 fully electric vehicles and 634,990 hybrids.

Sales continued to grow during the first quarter of 2026, when electrified vehicle deliveries reached 242,612 units, up 14.2 percent year-on-year. These vehicles accounted for 24.9 percent of Hyundai’s total global sales during the period.

The Tucson Hybrid contributed to the company’s stronger hybrid sales performance. Hyundai has since introduced a new-generation Tucson with an updated hybrid system.

Other models received recognition from international automotive organizations. The all-new Palisade won the 2026 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award, while the IONIQ 9 was named World’s Best Large SUV at the Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year awards.

The IONIQ 9 also earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s 2026 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award for its US-market version and received Euro NCAP’s highest safety rating.

Hyundai’s work outside conventional vehicle manufacturing has also attracted attention, particularly its interest in artificial intelligence and robotics.

In September, Hyundai Motor Group demonstrated the training of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robot at its Robotics Metaplant Application Center. The company plans to introduce Atlas at its manufacturing facility in Georgia, United States, beginning in 2028.

Atlas received CNET Group’s Best Robot award at CES 2026, while Hyundai’s MobED robotic platform earned a Best of Innovation award at the same event.

The company is also developing software-defined vehicles, which allow more vehicle functions to be managed and updated through software.

Its Pleos Connect system made its production debut in the new Grandeur sedan in South Korea in May. Hyundai Motor Group plans to equip approximately 20 million vehicles with the system by 2030.

Meanwhile, its autonomous driving joint venture Motional began an IONIQ 5 robotaxi pilot service in Las Vegas in March as part of preparations for commercial driverless operations.

Hyundai Motor president and CEO José Muñoz credited customers, employees and dealer partners for the company’s sustained rise in brand value.