Hyundai Motor Company has risen to 29th in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2026 rankings, with its estimated brand value increasing 2% to US$25 billion.
The company also moved from sixth to fourth among automotive brands, extending its run of annual brand-value growth to 17 consecutive years.
Hyundai attributes the result to its expanding mobility portfolio, electrified vehicle sales and investment in technologies including software-defined vehicles, artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous driving.
Hyundai Motor Company president and chief executive José Muñoz says the result reflects the trust of customers and the work of the company’s employees and dealer network.
“Seventeen consecutive years of brand value growth comes from customers who chose Hyundai and from the teams and dealer partners who earned that trust,” Muñoz says.
“Improving to fourth among automotive brands reflects both the strength of our products today and the technologies we are building for what comes next — software-defined vehicles and physical AI.”
Vehicle range supports growth
Hyundai says its recent product awards and safety results helped strengthen its global position.
The Palisade was named the 2026 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, while the IONIQ 9 was recognised as the World’s Best Large SUV in the Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year awards.
The IONIQ 9 also received the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s 2026 Top Safety Pick+ award and Euro NCAP’s highest safety rating.
Hyundai sold 961,812 electrified vehicles globally during 2025, up 27% year on year. That total included 275,669 battery-electric vehicles and 634,990 hybrids.
Electrified vehicle sales increased a further 14.2% during the first quarter of 2026 to 242,612 units, accounting for 24.9% of Hyundai’s global sales.
Robotics and software investment
Hyundai Motor Group is also expanding its work in robotics through affiliate Boston Dynamics.
The Atlas robot was named Best Robot in CNET Group’s Best of CES 2026 awards, while the group’s MobED mobility platform received a CES Best of Innovation Award and a Red Dot product design award.
Atlas is being prepared for deployment at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America from 2028.
The group has also continued developing autonomous mobility through Motional, which launched an IONIQ 5 robotaxi pilot service in Las Vegas during March.
Hyundai’s Pleos software platform is supporting its transition towards software-defined vehicles. The group plans to equip about 20 million vehicles with its Pleos Connect system by 2030.
Global marketing expands reach
Hyundai says its sports and cultural partnerships have also contributed to its growing international profile.
The company supported the 2026 FIFA World Cup as part of a partnership dating back to 1999 and supplied its largest fleet of official tournament vehicles.
It also expanded its involvement in cricket and South American football through partnerships with the International Cricket Council and CONMEBOL Libertadores.
Hyundai won the Audio and Radio Grand Prix at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for its Coquí Alarmed campaign, marking its second consecutive Grand Prix at the event.
Interbrand global managing partner Jihun Moon says Hyundai’s work in robotics and electrification has helped distinguish the brand.
“By proving tangible competitiveness in robotics and electrification, it strengthened brand distinctiveness and trust, a key driver of brand value growth,” Moon says.
Interbrand assesses brands using their financial performance, influence on purchasing decisions and ability to build loyalty and long-term value.
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