The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group secured the largest market share among Asian automakers in Europe in the first half of this year.

European Automobile Manufacturers' Association figures show that Asia's second-largest car manufacturer sold over 346,000 vehicles in 27 EU countries and four member nations of the European Free Trade Association between January and June. This is a 5.2 percent jump compared to the same period in 2010.

With a 0.3 percentage point year-on-year increase, Hyundai-Kia took up 4.7 percent of the pie in the first half to rank ninth overall, ahead of Japanese rivals Toyota and Nissan.

Meanwhile, the Volkswagen Group was the continent's No. 1 automobile manufacturer, having sold nearly 1.7 million units, followed by Peugeot Citroen, and Renault.

Hyundai-Kia are expected to build on the momentum in the second half of this year with new models including a compact sports coupe and a large family sedan.