Hyundai Motor Co.'s Accent subcompact became the best-selling car in Russia in May as the automaker pushes for a bigger presence there despite unfavorable market conditions, industry data showed Tuesday.
  

Hyundai Motor, South Korea's top automaker, sold 10,654 units of the Accent, locally known as the Solaris, in Russia last month, the most among car models being sold there, according to the data by the Association of European Business.
  

The Accent edged out the Lada Granta of a local carmaker to reclaim the top spot after losing it four months earlier.
  

However, the cumulative sales of the Accent still lag behind the Lada Granta.
  

Hyundai Motor sold a total of 44,455 units of the Accent during the January-May period in Russia, compared with 49,542 units of the Russian brand, the data showed.
  

Hyundai Motor, along with its corporate cousin Kia Motors Corp., is seeking to expand its market presence in Russia by maintaining its production and sales as opposed to many other rival companies, which scaled down or suspended operation as part of efforts to reduce exposure to the loss-making market.
  

Hyundai Motor's car sales in Russia totaled 13,613 units last month, a 13 percent drop from a year earlier. The decline is still better than the 37.6 percent plunge in overall auto sales in Russia last month. (Yonhap)