Hyundai Sonata on pace to outsell Honda Accord for the first time

But Hyundai has been closing the gap, with Sonata sales increasing to 17,836 units in July, just 5,100 less than the Accord. Part of the reason the Accord is losing its edge as it ages. The current model was introduced three years ago, while the latest Sonata debuted in the U.S. early this year. Sales of the Accord have slid from 39,726 units in August last year to 23,032 in July and 22,506 in August this year.

The increase in Sonata sales has resulted in a delivery backlog. Hyundai is boosting output at its plant in Alabama where the Sonata is produced alongside the Santa Fe crossover SUV. Production of the Santa Fe is being moved to Kia Motors’ plant in Georgia, freeing resources for the Alabama plant, which has a production capacity of 300,000 vehicles a year.

The popularity of the Sonata is expected to continue to rise in the U.S., with the release of back-to-back new models — a high-performance version with a 2-liter turbocharged engine in October and a hybrid in November.