Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday its vehicle sales in the United States fell 9 percent last month from a year earlier on lower demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hyundai Motor sold 55,171 vehicles in the US in November, down from 60,601 units in the same period of last year, the company said in a statement.

The monthly sales declined as "there were three fewer selling days and one less selling weekend" last month amid COVID-19 challenges, it said.

"We've never had a better product lineup and with the all-new Elantra hitting dealerships now and an onslaught of new SUV, performance and eco-friendly vehicles on their way, we are optimistic about the future of Hyundai," Vice President Randy Parker in charge of national sales at Hyundai Motor America said in the statement.

Hyundai sold 45,690 retail units in November, with the flagship Palisade and other SUVs representing 68 percent of the total retail mix.

From January to November, US sales fell 11 percent to 555,991 autos from 624,051 during the same period of last year.

Globally, Hyundai's sales declined 16 percent in the first 11 months to 3,369,055 units from 4,026,075 a year ago. (Yonhap)