The Hyundai Santa Fe signs its first podium finish in over 3 years.

New light vehicle sales in South Korea drop -4.8% year-on-year in October to 138,341 units. This includes 117,012 local manufacturers (-2.5%) and 21,329 foreigners (-15.9%). Year-to-date, the market remains in positive at +5.1% to 1,424,325 including 1,205,239 locals (+6.7%) and 219,071 foreigners (-2.9%). Hyundai (+14.7%) defies the depleted market to lodge a double-digit gain and reach 41% share vs. 36.8% year-to-date. Threatened by sister brand Kia last year, this time it has a clear 13,800 unit advantage and almost 10 percentage points of share. Kia indeed is down -0.2% to 31.1% share vs. 33% so far this year. Genesis (-32.7%) craters but stays in 3rd place above competitors Mercedes (-14.3%) and BMW (-11.4%) both falling faster than the market. GM Korea (+9.8%) shines in 6th position whereas KG Mobility (ex Ssangyong, -51.5%) freefalls. The situation is even worse for Renault Korea (-66.6%). Below, notice Volvo (+123.1%), Toyota (+49.8%) and Lincoln (+135.7%) all in great share but below 1% share. 

As for the domestic car ranking, the Kia Sorento (+71.2%) is boosted by the new model to repeat at #1. This is only the 2nd time the Sorento ever tops the South Korean charts. Below a weak Hyundai Porter (-4.9%), the new gen Hyundai Santa Fe (+206.1%) triples its year-ago volume and steps up two spots on September to crack the podium for the first time since August 2020. The Hyundai Grandeur (+75.8%) also impresses but drops two ranks on last month to #$. It however retains the YTD top spot, a comfortable 14,000 sales above the Porter. The Hyundai Avante (-10.7%) and Kia Bongo (-16.8%) struggle below unlike the Hyundai Sonata (+45.9%) and Kia Ray (+43.4%). The Hyundai Tucson (+98.5%), Kona (+495.1%) and Venue (+68.4%) also surge ahead.

Over in the foreign models charts, the Mercedes E-Class (+29.1%) reclaims the top spot, a ranking it now also holds year-to-date, bypassing the BMW 5 Series (-75.8%). The Tesla Model Y goes from just 1 sale in October 2022 to 2,814 this month, enough for a 2nd place. It accesses the 3rd rank year-to-date as a result. The BMW 3 Series (+718.8%) completes the podium. The BMW X7 (+3240%), Lexus ES (+55.1%), Mercedes S-Class (+49.7%) and Volvo XC60 (+746.3%) also make themselves noticed in the remainder of the Top 10. 

Previous month: South Korea September 2023: Kia Sorento scores first win, Hyundai Santa Fe up to #5

One year ago: South Korea October 2022: Hyundai Porter and Kia Bongo lead, Hyundai Ioniq 6 just misses out on Top 10

Full October 2023 Top 32 All brands, Top 55 All domestic models and Top 50 foreign models below.

South Korea October 2023 – brands:

Note: Tesla doesn’t report to KAIDA and therefore doesn’t appear in this ranking.

PosBrandOct-23%/22Sep2023%/22PosFY221Hyundai56,73241.0%+ 14.7%1523,58236.8%+ 16.5%112Kia42,96031.1%– 0.2%2469,78133.0%+ 7.2%223Genesis7,5965.5%– 32.7%3104,9847.4%– 3.0%334Mercedes6,6124.8%– 14.3%560,9884.3%– 4.4%545BMW5,9854.3%– 11.4%462,5144.4%– 3.1%456GM Korea4,4693.2%+ 9.8%733,5252.4%+ 0.6%787KG Mobility (ex Ssangyong)3,8042.7%– 51.5%654,7883.8%– 3.4%668Renault Korea1,4511.0%– 66.6%818,5791.3%– 57.6%879Volvo1,2630.9%+ 123.1%1013,7701.0%+ 37.7%101110Audi1,1510.8%– 56.4%915,2581.1%– 10.7%9911Lexus9630.7%+ 23.3%1111,0080.8%+ 93.0%111512Volkswagen8530.6%– 23.4%147,8190.5%– 30.0%131013Mini7320.5%+ 19.4%137,7340.5%– 14.3%141214Toyota7220.5%+ 49.8%156,7670.5%+ 26.4%151715Porsche7050.5%– 4.3%129,6900.7%+ 38.1%121416Chevrolet5870.4%– 63.0%164,8960.3%– 34.5%161317Land Rover2910.2%– 11.6%174,3840.3%+ 83.7%172018Polestar2870.2%+ 15.3%211,3890.1%– 43.2%212119Jeep2330.2%– 69.6%183,6320.3%– 39.4%181620Honda2330.2%– 14.7%231,0470.1%– 62.8%221921Ford1650.1%+ 6.5%192,7620.2%– 34.3%191822Peugeot1400.1%– 54.2%201,4870.1%– 13.7%202323Lincoln1320.1%+ 135.7%229670.1%– 55.6%232224Bentley730.1%– 2.7%256820.0%– 1.3%252525Cadillac670.0%– 9.5%247440.1%+ 0.8%242426Lamborghini350.0%– 34.0%283510.0%+ 12.9%282727Maserati300.0%+ 50.0%273640.0%– 25.9%272628DS270.0%+ 350.0%301410.0%+ 93.2%303029Rolls-Royce170.0%+ 70.0%292440.0%+ 23.9%292830GMC150.0%new264100.0%new26 –31Jaguar110.0%+ 266.7%31530.0%– 65.6%312932Citroen00.0%n/a –00.0%– 100.0%3231 –Total local manufacturers117,01284.6%– 2.5% –1,205,23984.6%+ 6.7% – – –Total foreign manufacturers21,32915.4%– 15.9% –219,07115.4%– 2.9% – – –Total market138,341100.0%– 4.8% –1,424,325100.0%+ 5.1% – –

South Korea October 2023 – domestic models:

PosModelOct-23/22Sep2023/22PosFY221Kia Sorento8,777+ 71.2%168,379+ 24.7%322Hyundai Porter8,578– 4.9%382,367+ 8.2%213Hyundai Santa Fe8,331+ 206.1%534,881+ 58.3%15214Hyundai Grandeur8,192+ 75.8%296,672+ 77.8%135Hyundai Avante5,017– 10.7%854,394+ 21.4%666Kia Bongo4,887– 16.8%653,249– 2.8%747Hyundai Sonata4,849+ 45.9%1329,581– 26.1%1898Kia Ray4,824+ 43.4%1142,089+ 16.4%9139Kia Sportage4,707– 4.9%458,028+ 33.6%5710Kia Carnival3,933– 21.4%958,695+ 32.9%4511Genesis GV703,707+ 53.6%1528,916+ 25.2%201812Hyundai Casper3,648– 6.7%1035,729– 8.2%141013Hyundai Tucson3,432+ 98.5%1236,951+ 34.4%111614Hyundai Staria3,265– 5.7%1732,902+ 22.1%161515Chevrolet Trax Crossover3,043new2619,713new25 –16Kia Seltos3,008– 4.5%742,633+ 21.3%81417Hyundai Kona2,934+ 495.1%1829,386+ 321.8%193818Hyundai Palisade2,825– 31.9%1435,870– 12.6%12819Kia K52,592+ 3.1%2027,233+ 5.9%211720Kia K82,248– 37.8%1935,779– 2.5%131221Kia Morning2,225– 0.9%2121,960– 8.0%222022Genesis G801,969– 36.1%1638,084– 0.0%101123Kia Niro1,813+ 10.4%2220,488– 20.4%241924KG Mobility Torres1,628– 65.6%2332,022+ 102.2%172825Kia EV61,564– 28.1%3515,438– 27.6%262526Hyundai Ioniq 51,471– 32.2%3314,091– 43.1%272327KG Mobility Rexton Sports1,320– 36.4%2513,347– 41.9%282428Hyundai Venue1,182+ 68.4%316,979+ 0.1%343729Kia K3939– 37.4%2810,430– 37.5%302930Genesis GV80885– 54.5%2420,549+ 16.5%232631Kia EV9833new274,989new37 –32Renault Korea QM6787– 60.8%299,076– 61.4%312233Genesis G90646– 77.1%3010,606– 46.1%292734KG Mobility Tivoli577+ 32.0%325,642– 43.7%363435Renault Korea XM3518– 66.4%347,515– 51.3%333036Chevrolet Trailblazer496– 63.5%366,689– 48.7%353137Hyundai Ioniq 6472– 87.1%398,483+ 34.1%323338Chevrolet Colorado335+ 100.6%461,528– 36.8%464539Kia Mohave293– 70.1%404,455– 57.1%383240Genesis G70278– 48.5%383,777– 19.3%404041Kia K9226– 39.1%423,439– 35.9%413942Chevrolet Traverse199– 23.5%481,034– 34.1%494743Hyundai Nexo189– 82.8%414,017– 53.4%393644Chevrolet Equinox176+ 30.4%49612– 32.9%505145Renault Korea SM6146– 69.3%441,920– 44.5%444346KG Mobility Rexton144– 66.4%432,475– 23.0%434447Chevrolet Bolt EUV121– 86.7%371,584– 14.8%454848Genesis GV60111– 77.5%453,052– 39.2%424149KG Mobility Korando87– 51.7%471,254– 72.7%484250Chevrolet Tahoe50+ 92.3%52222– 36.0%545551KG Mobility Torres EVX48new –48new57 –52GMC Sierra32new50401new52 –53Chevrolet Bolt17– 91.5%51229– 64.0%535354Chevrolet Spark0– 100.0% –1,419– 85.6%473555Kia Stinger0– 100.0% –483– 71.3%5146

South Korea October 2023 – foreign models:

PosModelOct-23/22Sep2023/22PosFY221Mercedes E Class3,578+ 29.1%219,117– 17.4%112Tesla Model Y2,814########19,544+ 57.2%373BMW 3 Series958+ 718.8%45,682+ 1.2%794BMW 5 Series644– 75.8%1116,702– 2.2%225Lexus ES529+ 55.1%106,616+ 86.3%6156BMW X7501+ 3240.0%213,188– 18.8%18187Mercedes S Class479+ 49.7%128,949– 19.4%438BMW 6 Series467+ 17.6%75,024+ 39.8%10199Audi A6466– 17.1%66,805+ 17.2%5410Volvo XC60457+ 746.3%34,519+ 113.6%113211Mercedes GLC447– 5.9%165,465+ 33.0%81312Mercedes GLE425– 65.3%55,334– 11.0%9813BMW X5380– 57.9%84,178– 32.3%13514Chevrolet Colorado335+ 100.6%n/a1,528– 36.8%372815Mercedes CLS333– 7.0%312,323– 15.9%252216Mini Cooper Hatch310+ 44.9%252,930– 18.9%201717VW Tiguan299– 21.1%133,657+ 5.1%171118Porsche Cayenne297– 47.1%494,093+ 43.1%152019Polestar 2287+ 15.3%221,389– 43.2%402920BMW 1 Series275+ 177.8%261,268– 24.1%444821Mercedes GLB264– 24.4%271,950– 23.4%322422BMW X6255– 29.4%232,967– 26.5%191623Toyota RAV4252– 20.8%282,411+ 20.4%243124BMW iX3238– 8.8%92,285+ 53.7%263925Lexus NX230– 36.6%292,574+ 128.4%22n/a26BMW X4228– 41.1%184,501+ 12.1%121427BMW X3221– 69.3%204,122– 22.3%141028BMW i4217+ 65.6%192,227+ 40.0%283529BMW 7 Series211+ 305.8%152,565– 2.5%232630Chevrolet Traverse199– 23.5%n/a1,034– 34.1%524231Mercedes C Class198+ 110.6%173,966+ 74.3%162132Volvo V60195+ 112.0%n/a877n/a62n/a33BMW X1192+ 9500.0%401,005– 55.8%563734Volvo S90191+ 109.9%462,630– 32.2%211235Mini Clubman187+ 19.9%351,605– 21.1%353436Mini Countryman182+ 0.6%322,143+ 6.6%292737Mercedes G Class180– 46.3%n/a1,848+ 44.1%335038Chevrolet Equinox176+ 30.4%n/a612– 32.9%71n/a39Volvo S60161+ 69.5%371,387+ 157.3%41n/a40BMW i7159new45646new69 –41BMW 2 Series Active Tourer157+ 153.2%43818+ 1219.4%64n/a42VW ID.4153– 73.8%30764– 39.3%66n/a43Porsche Taycan151+ 694.7%n/a1,318+ 38.6%43n/a44Toyota Camry149+ 609.5%n/a1,634+ 24.4%34n/a45BMW 4 Series146– 14.6%50996– 12.3%58n/a46Volvo XC90141+ 220.5%n/a2,063+ 57.8%313647Jeep Wrangler139– 9.7%n/a1,168– 35.1%484648Range Rover131+ 17.0%n/a2,114+ 374.0%30n/a49Lexus RX131+ 235.9%471,040+ 266.2%51n/a50Honda CR-V131– 3.0%n/a682– 39.3%67n/a

Source: KAIDA, Manufacturers