Hyundai Motor ranks among world's top 4 auto brands for first time, with brand value of $25b

Hyundai Motor's global brand value has reached $25 billion, placing the automaker among the world's top four automotive brands for the first time and pushing it into the overall top 30 across all industries. The gains reflect recognition of the company's push into robotics and software-defined vehicles, alongside its core hybrid and electric vehicle business.

Hyundai Motor announced Wednesday that it ranked 29th overall in Interbrand's 2026 Best Global Brands report, with a brand value of $25 billion.

Compared with last year, its brand value rose about 1.6 percent from $24.6 billion to $25 billion, and its overall ranking climbed one spot from 30th to 29th.

In the automotive category, Hyundai Motor placed fourth, behind Japan's Toyota (1st), Germany's Mercedes-Benz (2nd) and BMW (3rd) — its highest automotive ranking ever, up two places from sixth last year.

Last year, Hyundai Motor's brand value of $24.6 billion trailed fourth-ranked Tesla at $29.5 billion and fifth-ranked Honda at $24.8 billion by $4.9 billion and $200 million, respectively. This year, it surpassed both brands.

Hyundai Motor first appeared on Interbrand's Global 100 list in 2005 and has remained on it for more than two decades. Its brand value has risen for 17 consecutive years since 2010.

Interbrand compiles its annual ranking by analyzing major global companies across three dimensions: financial performance, the brand's influence on purchasing decisions, and overall brand competitiveness.

"Hyundai Motor has demonstrated real competitiveness in future mobility technologies such as robotics and electrification, strengthening its brand differentiation and credibility," an Interbrand official said. "These achievements, combined with a solid brand foundation in key markets including the United States and Europe, have been the main drivers of brand value growth."

Hyundai Motor posted record annual sales of 186.25 trillion won ($141 billion) last year. Driven by strong hybrid vehicle sales, it surpassed 1 million units sold in the United States for the year and exceeded 960,000 units in global eco-friendly vehicle sales.

Recognition of individual model competitiveness has also contributed to the brand's rising value.

The Ioniq 9, a large electric SUV, won the large SUV category at the 2026 Women's World Car of the Year. The Palisade was named the utility vehicle winner at the 2026 North American Car of the Year.

Hybrid vehicles have also driven sales growth. The Tucson Hybrid was one of the key models behind the global expansion of hybrid sales last year, and it helped Hyundai Motor post its best-ever quarterly hybrid sales in the first quarter of this year.

The newly unveiled all-new Tucson, revealed in September, features a next-generation hybrid system. Hyundai Motor is targeting the global SUV market with a dual strategy of expanding both electric and hybrid vehicles.

The company's expansion beyond vehicle manufacturing into robotics and AI also drew attention in this year's assessment.

Hyundai Motor Group unveiled its strategy for building a human-centered AI robotics ecosystem and its medium- to long-term commercialization plans at CES 2026 in Las Vegas in January. Following the announcement, Hyundai Motor's market capitalization exceeded 100 trillion won for the first time.

In robotics, the company is preparing to deploy its humanoid robot Atlas on the factory floor. Training for Atlas has begun at the Robotics Metaplant Application Center at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia, with full production deployment planned for 2028.

Atlas received the Best Robot award from global tech outlet CNET at CES 2026. The autonomous mobility robot platform Mobed also won the Best of Innovation award in the robotics category at the same event and took home a Red Dot Design Award in the product design category.

Hyundai Motor is also deepening its strategic partnership with Nvidia. The company is simultaneously advancing its software-defined vehicle transition through Pleos, its proprietary mobility software platform and brand, which enables vehicle functions and services to be controlled through software.

Global sports sponsorships and cultural marketing have also helped raise the brand's profile.

Hyundai Motor has partnered with FIFA since 1999. At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it provided the largest official vehicle fleet in the event's history and ran a global brand campaign under the theme "Future Starts Here."

The company also returned as a top-tier premier partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC), expanding its marketing reach in cricket-passionate markets such as India. It also serves as an official sponsor of the Copa Libertadores, the premier club football competition in South America.

The company has also built an award-winning advertising record. The "Coqui Alarm" campaign, produced by Hyundai Motor Puerto Rico, won the Grand Prix in the audio and radio category at this year's Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

A corporate social responsibility campaign titled "The Nameless Forest," focused on marine ecosystem conservation, took home a bronze award in the creative data category at the same festival.

"Seventeen consecutive years of brand value growth is an achievement made possible by our customers who chose Hyundai Motor and by the employees and dealer partners who have built that trust," said Jose Munoz, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor. "Our rise to fourth among automotive brands reflects not only our current product competitiveness but also our future technology capabilities in areas such as software-defined vehicles and physical AI."