New Delhi, July 2 -- The mood at Hyundai Motor India Ltd's office in Gurugram isn't exactly upbeat today. Passenger vehicle sales data for June were released on 1 July. And for the South Korean carmaker, once the No. 2 in India by some distance, it once again made for dismal reading.

The company has finished behind Mahindra and Mahindra four out of six months this calendar year. Indeed, it has trailed the Indian company every month this fiscal year. And that is bad news for Jose Munoz.

In January, Munoz, a native of Spain who is now an American citizen, became the first non-Korean to head Hyundai when he was elevated to the position of president and chief executive officer. His ascension was drowned out somewhat by the tumult in South K...