The Sonata, Hyundai Motor’s midsize sedan, is poised to reclaim the best-selling Korean car title this year, after being outpaced by its smaller stablemate the Avante for the past three years, industry data showed Wednesday.

According to figures from the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association, domestic sales of the Sonata hit 88,485 units in the first 10 months of this year, up 16.8 percent from the year before.

With sales amounting to around 8,000 units per month, the total number of Sonatas that can be sold in 2014 will likely exceed 100,000, the association said. This will place it ahead of the Avante compact, which held the title from 2011 through 2013, as well as other domestic rivals.

The Sonata, currently in its seventh generation, dominated the local car market from 1999 to 2010, outselling all other passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Sales got an upshot with the introduction of the completely refreshed model in late April.

In the first two months after it entered showrooms, the car sold more than 22,200 units. Sales have fallen afterwards, but release of the taxi version in late August again pushed up demand. Taxi versions of the car made up a third of all sales in September and October. (Yonhap)