Hyundai Motor has reported a sales increase of almost seven percent in the first quarter of this year. 

The South Korean automaker reported on Wednesday that it posted 23-trillion-987 billion won in sales from the January-March period, six-point-nine percent more than the same period last year. 

The company credited the increase to solid sales of new models such as Genesis G90 and Palisade. In particular, Hyundai noted growth in the sales of sports-utility vehicles led by Palisade and Santa Fe, adding it led to improved profitability. 

Hyundai's operating profit jumped 21-point-one percent on-year to 824-point-nine billion won while the rate of operating profits edged up by zero-point-four percentage point to three-point-four percent.

However, the number of vehicles the carmaker sold dropped by two-point-seven percent on-year to one-million-21-thousand-377 units. Its overseas sales fell four-point-nine percent to 837-thousand-420 while its domestic sales slid eight-point-seven percent to 183-thousand-957.