Hyundai Motor Co.'s Porter truck was the best-selling vehicle in South Korea in the first five months of this year, industry data showed Thursday, in a sign that the relatively cheap commercial model appealed to small self-employed merchants.

The country's largest automaker sold a total of 44,696 units of the Porter 1-ton truck during the January-May period, according to the data.

If the current sales pace continues, the Porter could become the best-selling vehicle not only in the first half but for the whole of this year.

Previously the best-selling status was held by passenger cars.

Hyundai Motor's Sonata mid-sized sedan kept the best-selling crown from 1999 to 2010.

The automaker's Avante compact overtook the Sonata as the country's best-selling vehicle from 2011 to 2013 before the Sonata regained its best-selling status in 2014 and 2015.

The Porter, with a price range between 14.3 million won ($12,400) and 19.5 million, is mostly used by self-employed merchants to sell food, vegetables and fruits as well as to deliver goods. (Yonhap)