The Hyundai Ioniq 9 has landed in its home charts.

South Korean new car sales are in great shape in February thanks to more opening days, at +14.7% to 132,501 units. This includes 112,302 for local manufacturers (+13.1%) and 20,199 for foreigners (+24.4%). The year-to-date volume switches to positive territory at +3.1% to 238,582 including 203,154 locals (+0.5%) and 35,428 foreigners (+20.8%). This month Hyundai (+26.8%) returns to #1 for the 6th time in the past 7 months, passing Kia (+4.5%). Kia however remains #1 year-to-date, for just 236 sales. Genesis (-3.4%) underperforms but to cross the 10,000 monthly units barrier for the first time since last November. Renault Korea (+170.1%) continues to be lifted by the new Grand Koleos and advances to #5. BMW (+3%) and Mercedes (+29.8%) lead foreign manufacturers above Tesla (+1177%).

The Kia Sorento (+4.6%) manages a 6th consecutive win, and stands way above the competition with over 9,000 sales. In fact Kia monopolises the podium for the third month in a row, with the Carnival (-3.2%) at #2 and the Sportage (-6.1%) at #3. The Hyundai Avante (+174.7%) shoots up to #4 thanks to a new generation, overtaking the Hyundai Grandeur (+38.3%) also strong. The Hyundai Sonata (+222.2%), Tucson (+54.2%) and Kia Seltos (+20.1%) also shine below just as the Renault Grand Koleos rallies back up 9 spots on last month to #12. We welcome the Hyundai Ioniq 9 at #42.

Looking at foreign models, the Tesla Model Y goes from no sale in January to over 2,000 this month, securing the first spot. The Mercedes E Class (+98.6%) stays at #2 while last month’s leader, the BMW 5 Series (-20.4%), falls to #3 but remains #1 year-to-date. Excellent performances also by the Mercedes GLC (+170.9%), BMW 3 Series (+82.7%) and VW ID.4 (+5257.1%).

Previous month: South Korea January 2025: Kia Sorento lodges 5th straight win in slow market (-8.5%)

One year ago: South Korea February 2024: Market down, Kia and Sorento repeat at #1, Genesis GV80 breaks record

Full February 2025 Top 31 All brands, Top 55 All domestic models and Top 50 foreign models below.

South Korea February 2025 – brands:

PosBrandFeb-25%/24Jan2025%/24PosFY241Hyundai46,99335.5%+ 26.8%284,22335.3%+ 11.5%212Kia46,04734.8%+ 4.5%184,45935.4%– 4.8%123Genesis10,2237.7%– 3.4%319,0478.0%– 13.2%334BMW6,2744.7%+ 3.0%412,2345.1%+ 17.4%445Renault Korea4,8813.7%+ 170.1%67,4823.1%+ 116.7%676Mercedes4,6633.5%+ 29.8%58,4533.5%+ 29.6%557KG Mobility (ex Ssangyong)2,6762.0%– 28.6%74,9762.1%– 33.7%768Tesla2,2221.7%+ 1177.0%312,2270.9%+ 1172.6%1089GM Korea1,4821.1%– 25.4%82,6971.1%– 44.7%8910Lexus1,3371.0%+ 45.5%92,4631.0%+ 28.5%91111Volvo1,0460.8%+ 8.8%102,0790.9%+ 7.9%111012Porsche7030.5%– 15.1%111,3470.6%– 10.5%121413Toyota6230.5%– 15.4%121,0530.4%– 30.8%131214Audi6090.5%+ 127.2%159290.4%+ 107.8%141315Mini5380.4%– 28.7%167720.3%– 40.5%151616Volkswagen4990.4%+ 8.0%206280.3%+ 21.9%181517Land Rover4420.3%+ 60.7%147670.3%+ 24.7%161718Ford3930.3%+ 28.4%137590.3%+ 41.9%171819Honda2980.2%+ 168.5%174750.2%+ 64.9%192020Lincoln1190.1%– 46.9%192530.1%– 50.3%202121Jeep1110.1%– 33.5%212310.1%– 39.2%211922Polestar710.1%+ 2266.7%221740.1%+ 5700.0%222423Peugeot400.0%– 62.3%24780.0%– 62.3%252324Lamborghini350.0%+ 775.0%23930.0%+ 745.5%242625Chevrolet330.0%– 75.7%181670.1%– 42.6%232226Maserati300.0%+ 87.5%28440.0%+ 37.5%282927Ferrari280.0%n/a25600.0%n/a26 –28Bentley260.0%+ 136.4%29360.0%+ 50.0%292729Cadillac250.0%– 60.3%26510.0%– 57.5%272530GMC210.0%+ 5.0%27350.0%– 7.9%302831Rolls-Royce130.0%+ 18.2%30200.0%+ 0.0%3130 –Total local manufacturers112,30284.8%+ 13.1% –203,15485.2%+ 0.5% – – –Total foreign manufacturers20,19915.2%+ 24.4% –35,42814.8%+ 20.8% – – –Total market132,501100.0%+ 14.7% –238,582100.0%+ 3.1% – –

South Korea February 2025 – domestic models:

PosModelFeb-25/24Jan2025/24PosFY241Kia Sorento9,067+ 4.6%116,521– 8.0%112Kia Carnival7,734– 3.2%313,802– 8.2%223Kia Sportage6,568– 6.1%213,115+ 1.5%344Hyundai Avante6,296+ 174.7%511,759+ 74.7%495Hyundai Grandeur5,481+ 38.3%411,192+ 47.3%556Hyundai Porter5,169– 18.7%118,504– 20.2%867Hyundai Santa Fe5,076– 31.5%69,895– 35.9%638Kia Seltos4,764+ 20.1%79,106+ 15.1%779Hyundai Tucson4,735+ 54.2%98,371+ 1.8%91010Hyundai Sonata4,585+ 222.2%108,205+ 327.6%10811Kia Ray4,287+ 7.9%88,163+ 0.8%111112Renault Korea Grand Koleos4,106new216,146new142113Genesis G804,026+ 23.6%136,756+ 0.1%121214Hyundai Palisade3,842+ 62.5%166,363+ 55.0%132215Kia Bongo3,281+ 6.6%185,700– 7.3%151516Hyundai Staria3,005+ 4.4%175,489– 6.6%161417Genesis GV702,749+ 52.3%125,488+ 35.9%171718Genesis GV802,642– 43.2%145,334– 42.3%181619Kia K52,503– 15.7%155,086– 19.3%191820Kia K82,457+ 13.5%194,754– 6.5%201921Kia EV32,257new312,686new222822Hyundai Kona2,234+ 53.5%204,375+ 27.5%212023Hyundai Ioniq 51,463+ 553.1%391,538+ 484.8%262624Hyundai Casper1,293– 58.5%242,219– 63.8%241325Chevrolet Trax Crossover1,120– 22.6%232,073– 43.9%252326Kia EV61,100+ 609.7%401,172+ 537.0%313127Kia Niro854– 9.1%271,425– 34.7%282528Kia Morning765– 32.9%222,249– 4.5%232429KGM Rexton Sports709– 28.7%251,526– 35.2%272930Hyundai Venue697+ 115.8%261,391+ 115.3%293931Genesis G90628+ 3.8%281,182– 13.9%303332KGM Torres579– 62.4%291,126– 62.5%322733Renault Korea QM6454– 43.5%34717– 48.0%353434KGM Torres EVX440+ 10.0%49452+ 5.9%383635KGM Tivoli430– 22.0%32723– 38.6%343536KGM Actyon355new30833new333737Hyundai Ioniq 6346+ 253.1%48358+ 251.0%393838Chevrolet Trailblazer302– 17.7%35501– 39.5%374039Renault Korea Arkana260– 71.3%33532– 71.7%363240Hyundai Nexo248– 25.1%44272– 18.3%414141Hyundai ST1201new51208new434942Hyundai Ioniq 9181new –181new45 –43Kia K9164– 14.1%36287– 21.6%404444Genesis G70162– 36.2%38269– 46.8%424245KGM Rexton95– 45.7%37204– 42.5%444646Kia EV988– 29.0%43125– 78.2%464547KGM Korando63– 28.4%41107– 44.3%474748Renault Korea SM636– 63.6%4556– 71.0%485049GMC Sierra29+ 20.8%5039+ 2.6%505450Renault Korea Master25n/a5231n/a525351Chevrolet Tahoe17+ 142.9%4731+ 121.4%515552Genesis GV6016+ 60.0%5318+ 5.9%545153Chevrolet Colorado10– 9.1%4624– 51.0%535254KGM Korando EV5new –5new555655Chevrolet Traverse3– 97.4%4242– 82.2%4948

South Korea February 2025 – foreign models:

PosModelFeb-25/24Jan2025/24PosFY241Tesla Model Y2,040+ 2549.4% –2,040+ 2549.4%332Mercedes E Class1,907+ 98.6%23,345+ 107.5%213BMW 5 Series1,719– 20.4%13,523+ 7.2%124Mercedes GLC726+ 170.9%31,367+ 132.1%455Lexus ES620+ 43.5%41,252+ 26.7%566BMW X3603+ 32.2%61,135+ 34.3%6127BMW X5481– 20.2%51,045– 12.0%778Volvo XC60481– 3.6%8897– 0.4%889BMW 3 Series455+ 82.7%10843+ 84.9%101010BMW 7 Series408+ 22.9%7871+ 107.9%91511BMW X7402+ 34.9%9797+ 16.4%111412Lexus NX387+ 48.3%15659+ 31.3%141613VW ID.4375+ 5257.1%n/a377+ 5285.7%252714Mercedes CLE353+ 275.5%16600+ 538.3%162515Mercedes GLE340– 30.0%11708– 30.4%121116BMW X6340+ 14.1%12660+ 19.1%132017Mercedes S Class340+ 2.7%13636+ 19.8%15918BMW X4323+ 8.8%18554– 9.9%171719Mercedes G Class279+ 1368.4%14552+ 557.1%182620Ford Explorer269+ 407.5%19491+ 263.7%194021Mini Cooper Hatch265+ 10.0%25415– 17.3%232122Audi Q4 e-Tron258+ 235.1%n/a299+ 288.3%312223BMW X1249+ 31.1%24413+ 31.9%243224Mini Countryman245– 36.7%44329– 37.5%282425Honda Accord230+ 489.7%33334+ 244.3%275526Volvo XC40229+ 50.7%21425+ 62.2%222827Toyota Camry221+ 57.9%27346+ 16.1%263128Porsche Cayenne217– 55.7%17461– 45.6%201929Porsche Panamera210+ 366.7%20426+ 432.5%214330BMW 4 Series201+ 58.3%32306+ 64.5%303831BMW 2 Series Active Tourer178+ 119.8%31286+ 125.2%335432Lexus RX149– 3.9%30265– 2.2%353633Range Rover148+ 146.7%35247+ 36.5%363934Mercedes GLS142+ 35.2%26271+ 14.3%344435BMW 1 Series140+ 100.0%22328+ 203.7%294836Mercedes C Class127– 76.2%36224– 71.2%381837Volvo S90124– 0.8%23288+ 2.9%323038Mercedes A Class122– 44.3%40212– 47.7%392939Porsche Taycan120+ 150.0%28242+ 165.9%374740Audi A6115+ 105.4%n/a151n/an/a3741BMW iX1114+ 11300.0%n/a140n/an/an/a42Land Rover Defender110+ 12.2%43197+ 14.5%405343Tesla Model 3109n/an/a109n/an/a444Lexus UX108+ 96.4%n/a159n/an/an/a45BMW i5104– 24.1%39196– 40.1%n/a5146Toyota Crown104+ 35.1%n/a150– 7.4%n/a5047Volvo XC90103+ 19.8%45179– 15.6%n/a4248Range Rover Sport99+ 98.0%n/a160n/an/an/a49Toyota Prius94+ 9.3%n/a149– 33.2%n/an/a50Porsche Macan87+ 3.6%n/a87– 54.5%n/an/a

Source: KAIDA, Manufacturers