During the month of November Hyundai sold 14,216 Sonatas in the U.S. That's a 117-percent increase over the same month last year, which is enough to place the new sedan seventh on the list of best-selling cars in the world’s largest auto market. It’s the first time a Hyundai has landed in the top ten since the Excel did it in the late 1980s. While that car achieved the feat based solely on its cheap price, the new-for-2006 Sonata has done it with a killer combination of value, safety and style.

To put the success of the new Sonata in perspective, one only needs to analyze Hyundai’s YTD sales. The data reveals that even though the 2006 Sonata didn’t start rolling off the assembly until March, it’s YTD sales are ahead of the also-popular Elantra (109,512 vs. 107,429). Aside from the Sonata, Hyundai sales are up eight percent over last year with a total of 411,991 units sold.

[Thanks to Source1 for the tip!]