Car sales by local automakers in South Korea rose for two straight months on the back of consumption tax cut, industry data showed Monday.

Five domestic carmakers, including Hyundai, Kia, GM Korea, Renault Samsung and Ssangyong, sold 126,336 vehicles in August, up 4.5 percent from a year earlier.

Auto sales in the domestic market grew for the second consecutive month thanks to the launch of new models and the consumption tax cut.

Hyundai Motor, the country's biggest automaker, sold 58,582 vehicles in August in the local market, up 7.4 percent from a year ago.

Local car sales by Kia Motors, the No.2 carmaker, increased 7.7 percent over the year to 44,200 units last month.

Overseas car sales by the five local automakers inched up 0.2 percent from a year earlier to 529,010 units in August.

Hyundai's overseas car sales expanded 9.5 percent, but four other automakers posted a decline in vehicle sales last month.