The Grand Koleos accounts for 84% of Renault Korea sales in October.

New car sales in South Korea progress +5.1% year-on-year in October to 145,444 units. For once this is solely due to the domestic manufacturers’ performance at +6.1% to 124,195. Reversely foreign carmakers edge down -0.4% to 21,249. Year-to-date, the overall market drops -5.8% to 1,342,396 including 1,126,416 for local brands (-6.5%) and 215,980 for foreigners (-1.4%). Hyundai (-4.4%) underperforms but still lodges a fantastic 37.3% share vs. 35% so far this year. Kia (+8%) beats its home market but ends the month a whopping 7,847 units below sister brand Hyundai, lifting the year-to-date gap between the two brands to 16,616. Genesis (+40.3%) posts a stellar gain for its 12th consecutive month above 10,000 sales, distancing Mercedes (-2.8%). Renault Korea (+340.7%) is the hero of the month once again and reaches its highest level since June 2022 at #5 with 4.4% share.

The Kia Sorento (-9.3%) is the best-selling car in the country for the 8th time in the past 10 months, cementing its YTD domination. The Hyundai Grandeur (-9.3%) and Hyundai Santa Fe (-12.4%) also lose ground year-on-year to round out a podium unchanged on last month. In the process the Grandeur is up to #5 year-to-date and the Santa Fe up to #3. The Kia Seltos (+126.8%) spectacularly breaks its volume record to 6,822 (previous best 6,139 in November 2019), equalling its highest ranking at #4, also reached in September 2019. The Hyundai Tucson (+85.5%) outsells its archenemy the Kia Sportage (+17.5%), with the Kia Carnival (+43.5%) and Hyundai Avante (+19.4%) also strong. The new Renault Grand Koleos breaks into the Top 10 at #10, representing 84% of the brand’s total sales for the month. This is the first time a Renault Korea model is inside the Top 10 since the QM6 (Koleos) hit #10 in June 2022. Orders for the Grand Koleos have exceeded 15,000 units.

Looking at the foreign models charts, the Mercedes E-Class (-28.9%) confirms its leadership despite a daunting year-on year loss. The podium is a replica of the YTD ranking with the BMW 5 Series (+221.9%) and Tesla Model Y (-66.2%) in tow. Below, the Mercedes GLC (+72.5%), Lexus ES (+27.2%), Mercedes S Class (+21.5%) and Volvo XC60 (+16.2%) all deliver excellent results.  

Previous month: South Korea September 2024: Renault Grand Koleos up to #12

One year ago: South Korea October 2023: Hyundai defies negative market, Kia Sorento #1 again, Hyundai Santa Fe #3

Full October 2024 Top 30 All brands, Top 55 All domestic cars and Top 50 foreign cars below.

South Korea October 2024 – brands:

PosBrandOct-24%/23Sep2024%/23PosFY231Hyundai54,25737.3%– 4.4%1470,40435.0%– 10.2%112Kia46,41031.9%+ 8.0%2453,78833.8%– 3.4%223Genesis10,6557.3%+ 40.3%3113,0208.4%+ 7.7%334Mercedes6,4274.4%– 2.8%454,4754.1%– 10.7%555Renault Korea6,3954.4%+ 340.7%625,4371.9%+ 36.9%786BMW6,1134.2%+ 2.1%560,5854.5%– 3.1%447KG Mobility (ex Ssangyong)4,5043.1%+ 18.4%741,1973.1%– 24.8%668GM Korea1,9741.4%– 55.8%821,2021.6%– 36.8%979Lexus1,2830.9%+ 33.2%1011,4790.9%+ 4.3%111210Tesla1,2630.9%n/a924,8801.9%n/a81111Volvo1,1610.8%– 8.1%1112,2840.9%– 10.8%101012Audi9430.6%– 18.1%127,4720.6%– 51.0%13913Toyota7540.5%+ 4.4%137,8130.6%+ 15.5%121614Volkswagen7410.5%– 13.1%146,6570.5%– 14.9%151415Porsche7010.5%– 0.6%156,7440.5%– 30.4%141316Mini5380.4%– 26.5%176,2720.5%– 18.9%161517Land Rover3050.2%+ 4.8%163,5420.3%– 19.2%171818Jeep1830.1%– 21.5%202,2170.2%– 39.0%191919Ford1650.1%+ 0.0%183,1160.2%+ 12.8%182020Lincoln1540.1%+ 16.7%211,9750.1%+ 104.2%212221Chevrolet1380.1%– 76.5%221,2690.1%– 74.1%221722Honda1200.1%– 48.5%192,0910.2%+ 99.7%202423Cadillac530.0%– 20.9%235780.0%– 22.3%242524Lamborghini490.0%+ 40.0%263720.0%+ 6.0%262925Bentley360.0%– 50.7%242930.0%– 57.0%272626GMC360.0%+ 140.0%272800.0%– 31.7%282727Peugeot350.0%– 75.0%257870.1%– 47.1%232128Polestar200.0%– 93.0%304300.0%– 69.0%252329Maserati160.0%– 46.7%282190.0%– 39.8%292830Rolls-Royce150.0%– 11.8%291500.0%– 38.5%3030 –Total local manufacturers124,19585.4%+ 6.1% –1,126,41683.9%– 6.5% – – –Total foreign manufacturers21,24914.6%– 0.4% –215,98016.1%– 1.4% – – –Total market145,444100.0%+ 5.1% –1,342,396100.0%– 5.8% – –

South Korea October 2024 – domestic models:

PosModelOct-24/23Sep2024/23PosFY231Kia Sorento7,962– 9.3%175,276+ 10.1%132Hyundai Grandeur7,433– 9.3%259,397– 38.6%513Hyundai Santa Fe7,294– 12.4%363,336+ 81.6%384Kia Seltos6,822+ 126.8%1051,498+ 20.8%7105Hyundai Tucson6,365+ 85.5%743,069+ 16.6%10126Hyundai Avante5,992+ 19.4%1444,976– 17.3%867Hyundai Porter5,782– 32.6%958,517– 29.0%628Kia Carnival5,645+ 43.5%467,997+ 15.8%249Kia Sportage5,531+ 17.5%861,594+ 6.1%4510Renault Korea Grand Koleos5,385new129,330new30 –11Hyundai Sonata5,047+ 4.1%544,010+ 48.8%91712Kia K84,977+ 121.4%626,044– 27.2%191513Genesis G803,951+ 100.7%1338,831+ 2.0%121314Genesis GV703,950+ 6.6%1628,716– 0.7%182115Hyundai Staria3,747+ 14.8%1733,675+ 2.3%151616Hyundai Casper3,620– 0.8%1136,406+ 1.9%131117Kia Ray3,278– 32.0%1540,019– 4.9%11918Kia Bongo3,183– 34.9%2034,958– 34.3%14719Kia K53,030+ 16.9%2129,087+ 6.8%172020Hyundai Kona2,329– 20.6%1823,819– 18.9%201921Kia EV32,107new2210,106new28 –22Genesis GV802,028+ 129.2%1933,448+ 62.8%162223Hyundai Palisade1,517– 46.3%2316,543– 53.9%211424Chevrolet Trax Crossover1,516– 50.2%2515,930– 19.2%222425KGM Actyon1,482new243,948new38 –26Kia Morning1,464– 34.2%2811,760– 46.4%262327KGM Rexton Sports1,100– 16.7%2610,997– 17.6%272828Hyundai Ioniq 51,064– 27.7%2712,350– 12.4%242729Kia Niro961– 47.0%2912,629– 38.4%232530Hyundai Ioniq 6866+ 83.5%364,042– 52.4%373231KGM Torres724– 55.5%3012,073– 62.3%251832KGM Tivoli632+ 9.5%335,825+ 3.2%353733Renault Korea QM6582– 26.0%346,999– 22.9%333134Kia EV6557– 64.4%378,129– 47.3%322635Genesis G90550– 14.9%326,643– 37.4%343036Hyundai Venue439– 62.9%353,835– 45.0%393437KGM Torres EVX347+ 622.9%395,681n/a364538Renault Korea Arkana346– 33.2%318,178+ 8.8%313339Chevrolet Trailblazer306– 38.3%383,646– 45.5%403640Hyundai Nexo184– 2.6%402,592– 35.5%413941Kia EV9159– 80.9%441,759– 64.7%453542Genesis G70134– 51.8%411,987– 47.4%434043KGM Rexton132– 8.3%431,702– 31.2%464344Kia K9127– 43.8%421,870– 45.6%444145Kia Mohave98– 66.6%452,216– 50.3%423846Hyundai ST188new46766new49 –47Chevrolet Traverse83– 58.3%47878– 15.1%485048KGM Korando82– 5.7%49941– 25.0%474849Renault Korea SM648– 67.1%51635– 66.9%504450Genesis GV6042– 62.2%50488– 84.0%514251Renault Korea Master34n/a53295+ 333.8%535752Chevrolet Colorado27– 91.9%48318– 79.2%524653GMC Sierra25– 21.9%52275– 31.4%545354Chevrolet Tahoe14– 72.0%54102– 54.1%555455KGM Korando EV5new5630new56 –

South Korea October 2024 – foreign models:

PosModelOct-24/23Sep2024/23PosFY231Mercedes E Class2,545– 28.9%120,144+ 5.4%112BMW 5 Series2,073+ 221.9%216,858+ 0.8%223Tesla Model Y951– 66.2%414,623+ 53.2%334Mercedes GLC771+ 72.5%36,811+ 24.6%585Lexus ES673+ 27.2%85,860– 11.4%666Mercedes S Class582+ 21.5%54,576– 48.9%1047Volvo XC60531+ 16.2%105,003+ 10.7%7108BMW 3 Series458– 52.2%74,393– 23.2%1299BMW X5393+ 3.4%114,937+ 18.1%81210Lexus NX359+ 56.1%133,154+ 22.5%182211Mini Cooper Hatch355+ 14.5%312,508– 30.7%222012Porsche Cayenne350+ 17.8%213,103– 24.2%191513BMW X7349– 30.3%163,397+ 6.6%151814Mercedes GLE344– 19.1%124,738– 11.2%9715BMW X6338+ 32.5%172,827– 4.8%201916BMW X4336+ 47.4%183,273– 27.6%161317Mercedes EQB327+ 172.5%n/a1,028– 31.0%483718Mercedes EQA327+ 284.7%n/a832– 24.8%n/an/a19Mercedes G Class315+ 75.0%351,550– 16.1%323420Tesla Model 3302n/a99,838+ 1682.2%4n/a21VW Jetta297+ 185.6%361,639+ 106.2%30n/a22BMW 6 Series273– 41.5%144,068– 19.0%131123BMW X3271+ 22.6%64,477+ 8.2%111424Audi Q4 e-Tron263+ 108.7%192,782+ 455.3%21n/a25Audi Q5252+ 154.5%n/a482– 63.9%n/an/a26Toyota RAV4248– 1.6%242,367– 1.8%242527VW Tiguan242– 19.1%301,492– 59.2%341728Mercedes EQE206+ 66.1%n/a1,695– 29.4%292329Mercedes C Class199+ 0.5%463,493– 11.9%141630Volvo XC40198+ 296.0%202,094+ 39.0%273631BMW 7 Series182– 13.7%153,228+ 25.8%172132Mercedes CLE180new232,460new23–33BMW 4 Series179+ 22.6%291,374+ 38.0%39n/a34Mercedes GLS177+ 221.8%261,402+ 27.1%383935Mini Countryman170– 6.6%252,327+ 8.6%252736VW Golf170+ 45.3%44923– 18.5%n/an/a37BMW i4168– 22.6%381,156– 48.1%443338BMW 1 Series150– 45.5%n/a936– 26.2%50n/a39Mercedes A Class143+ 1687.5%342,026+ 251.7%28n/a40BMW X1137– 28.6%271,528+ 52.0%333841BMW iX3137– 42.4%471,482– 35.1%352842Jeep Wrangler137– 1.4%431,014– 13.2%49n/a43Porsche Taycan123– 18.5%32740– 43.9%n/a4044Range Rover120– 8.4%281,372– 35.1%403045Lexus UX119+ 88.9%n/a718+ 513.7%n/an/a46BMW 2 Series Active Tourer118– 24.8%n/a800– 2.2%n/an/a47Volvo S90116– 39.3%n/a1,626– 38.2%312448Volvo XC90113– 19.9%n/a1,353– 34.4%412949Porsche Panamera109+ 36.3%411,109– 33.1%45n/a50Toyota Camry107– 28.2%401,453– 11.1%36n/a

Source: KAMA, manufacturers