Chennai, Jun 24 (IANS): The country's second largest car maker, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), is hoping to log around 16 percent volume growth this calendar year, a company official said Thursday.

"We will match the industry's growth rate of 15-16 percent. Last year our growth rate was 20.8 percent which is due to the lower comparable base of 2008. Last year we sold around 600,000 units," HMIL Director (sales and marketing) Arvind Saxena told reporters here.

In line with the company's strategy of launching more then one refurbished model and one new model every year, Hyundai has introduced a refreshed Verna Transform.

"Till date we have sold 82,000 Verna's since its launch in 2008. While the car's power train has been retained the exterior and interiors have been changed to give a sporty as well as luxurious look," Managing Director H.W. Park added.

Hyundai sells around 2,000 Verna's per month.

The company has invested around Rs.60 crore to roll out the refurbished Verna at its facility at Irungattukottai near here.

Verna Transform is the second 'transformed' model for the company as it had launched Sonata Transform in 2009.

Asked about the launch of Sonata YF, Saxena said: "It is still under consideration. We will decide on the timing of its Indian launch. We will be launching Santa Fe, a utility vehicle, this year."

About the entry of group company Kia Motors, Park said: "It is a sister company run by independent management. I cannot comment on their plans."