Consolidated net profit reached 1.92 trillion won ($1.61 billion) in July-September compared with 1.59 trillion won a year earlier.

Sales rose 14.5 percent year-on-year to 18.95 trillion won while operating profit jumped 18.9 percent to 1.99 trillion won.

In the three-month period, Hyundai's total car sales rose 9.6 percent year-on-year to 991,706, including 825,374 abroad.

The company, however, said its fourth-quarter profitability would be undermined by tough competition from US and Japanese rivals at home and abroad.

Hyundai and its affiliate Kia Motors together form the world's fifth-largest carmaking group by sales.