The Kia Tasman has landed in its home sales charts.

The South Korean new car market edges up 2.4% year-on-year in March to 149,120 units. This includes 123,891 sales for local manufacturers (+2.9%) and 25,229 for foreigners (-0.1%). The year-to-date tally is up similarly at +2.8% to 387,702 including 327,045 locals (+1.4%) and 60,657 foreigners (+11.1%). Hyundai (+3.6%) repeats at #1 with 35.2% share and snaps the Q1 crown off sister brand Kia (+2%) at 33.6% share for the month. Genesis (-10.5%) suffers but still manages to post a five-digit volume, holding 7.1% of its home market. Mercedes (+61.1%) is back above BMW (-2.6%) in the race for foreigner supremacy. Renault Korea (+200%) is still on a roll, with Volvo (+31.7%) and Lexus (+16.1%) also impressive. BYD makes its grand entrance in the South Korean market with an initial 10 sales.

No surprises atop the domestic models charts: the Kia Sorento (+13.2%) delivers a 7th straight month in pole position and a 16th win in the past 19 months. It is once again followed by the Kia Carnival (+0.9%). The Hyundai Avante (+63.1%) overtakes the Kia Sportage to snap the third step of the podium with the Hyundai Grandeur (+1.8%) rounding out the Top 5. The Kia Seltos (+12.7%) is solid at #8 while the Renault Grand Koleos is back inside the Top 10 at #9 and the Hyundai Palisade (+134%) is boosted by a new model to #10. We welcome a new set of KGM Musso models as well as the Kia Tasman pickup truck.

Looking at foreign models, the Mercedes E-Class (+511.1%) reclaims the lead both for the month and over Q1, while the Tesla Model 3 surges 15526.7% year-on-year (!) to #2 and now ranks #3 year-to-date. Meanwhile the Model Y is down -97% to #37. The BMW 5 Series (-9.5%), Mercedes GLC (+6.1%) and Lexus ES (-29.1%) complete the Top 5. Notice also the Volvo EX30 cracking the Top 10 at #9 and both the Ford Explorer (+272.9%) and Lexus NX (+222.1%) sporting outstanding gains.

Previous month: South Korea February 2025: Kia monopolises podium again but Hyundai #1

One year ago: South Korea March 2024: Kia Sorento signs 6th win in past 7 months, Tesla Model Y triumphs

Full March 2025 Top 32 All brands, Top 57 All domestic models and Top 50 foreign models below.

South Korea March 2025 – brands:

PosBrandMar-25%/24Feb2025%/24PosFY241Hyundai52,49835.2%+ 3.6%1136,72135.3%+ 8.3%112Kia50,10533.6%+ 2.0%2134,56434.7%– 2.4%223Genesis10,5927.1%– 10.5%329,6397.6%– 12.2%334Mercedes6,7624.5%+ 61.1%615,2153.9%+ 41.9%555BMW6,3784.3%– 2.6%418,6124.8%+ 9.7%446Renault Korea6,1164.1%+ 200.0%513,5983.5%+ 147.6%677KG Mobility (ex Ssangyong)3,2082.2%– 31.8%78,1842.1%– 33.0%768Tesla2,5911.7%– 57.0%84,8181.2%– 22.3%889Volvo1,4241.0%+ 31.7%113,5030.9%+ 16.5%111010Lexus1,4140.9%+ 16.1%103,8771.0%+ 23.7%101111GM Korea1,3720.9%– 32.7%94,0691.0%– 41.2%9912Audi1,1000.7%+ 68.5%142,0290.5%+ 84.5%141313Porsche1,0910.7%+ 39.7%122,4380.6%+ 6.6%121414Toyota1,0330.7%+ 36.1%132,0860.5%– 8.5%131215Mini6200.4%– 31.9%151,3920.4%– 37.0%151616Volkswagen5840.4%– 38.5%161,2120.3%– 17.2%181517Ford5650.4%+ 57.4%181,3240.3%+ 48.1%161818Land Rover5270.4%+ 55.9%171,2940.3%+ 35.8%171719Polestar3070.2%+ 40.2%224810.1%+ 116.7%202420Honda2290.2%– 28.7%197040.2%+ 15.6%192021Jeep1740.1%– 40.8%214050.1%– 39.9%211922Lincoln1330.1%– 42.2%203860.1%– 47.8%222123Peugeot760.1%– 19.1%231540.0%– 48.8%242324Cadillac480.0%– 9.4%29990.0%– 42.8%272525Ferrari440.0%n/a271040.0%n/a26 –26GMC260.0%– 21.2%30610.0%– 14.1%292827Maserati230.0%+ 4.5%26670.0%+ 24.1%282928Lamborghini200.0%– 35.5%241130.0%+ 169.0%252629Chevrolet180.0%– 84.6%251850.0%– 54.7%232230Rolls-Royce180.0%+ 20.0%31380.0%+ 8.6%313031Bentley140.0%+ 0.0%28500.0%+ 31.6%302732BYD100.0%new –100.0%new – – –Total local manufacturers123,89183.1%+ 2.9% –327,04584.4%+ 1.4% – – –Total foreign manufacturers25,22916.9%– 0.1% –60,65715.6%+ 11.1% – – –Total market149,120100.0%+ 2.4% –387,702100.0%+ 2.8% – –

South Korea March 2025 – domestic models:

PosModelMar-25/24Feb2025/24PosFY241Kia Sorento10,155+ 13.2%126,676– 0.9%112Kia Carnival7,710+ 0.9%221,512– 5.2%223Hyundai Avante6,829+ 63.1%418,588+ 70.3%494Kia Sportage6,617– 1.8%319,732+ 0.4%345Hyundai Grandeur6,211+ 1.8%517,403+ 27.0%556Hyundai Porter5,653– 29.6%614,157– 24.2%867Hyundai Santa Fe5,591– 29.1%715,486– 33.6%638Kia Seltos5,351+ 12.7%814,457+ 14.2%779Renault Korea Grand Koleos5,195new1211,341new122110Hyundai Palisade4,620+ 134.0%1410,983+ 80.6%132211Hyundai Sonata4,588+ 12.5%1012,793+ 113.3%10812Kia Ray4,584– 2.3%1112,747– 0.4%111113Hyundai Tucson4,536+ 28.7%912,907+ 9.9%91014Genesis G803,849– 27.3%1310,605– 12.0%141215Hyundai Staria3,717+ 19.0%169,206+ 2.3%151416Kia Bongo3,419– 25.4%159,119– 15.1%161517Genesis GV703,106+ 149.9%178,594+ 62.8%171718Kia EV33,032new215,718new222819Genesis GV802,928– 32.0%188,262– 39.0%181620Hyundai Kona2,869+ 4.4%227,244+ 17.3%212021Kia K52,863– 20.0%197,949– 19.6%191822Kia K82,704+ 34.1%207,458+ 5.1%201923Hyundai Casper2,025– 41.2%244,244– 55.6%231324Kia Niro1,176+ 3.4%272,601– 21.6%272525Kia EV61,163– 8.8%262,335+ 60.0%283126Hyundai Ioniq 51,129– 39.2%232,667+ 25.8%262627Chevrolet Trax Crossover1,097– 26.1%253,170– 38.8%242328KGM Torres1,058– 22.5%322,184– 50.0%292729Hyundai Ioniq 9784new42965new36 –30Hyundai Venue583+ 106.0%301,974+ 112.5%303931Kia Morning579– 59.1%282,828– 25.0%252432Genesis G90559– 21.8%311,741– 16.6%313333Hyundai Ioniq 6558– 40.4%37916– 11.8%373834KGM Musso EV526new –526new42 –35Renault Korea QM6484– 43.7%331,201– 46.4%333436KGM Tivoli390– 33.3%351,113– 36.9%353537Renault Korea Arkana375– 64.6%39907– 69.1%383238KGM Actyon310new361,143new343739Hyundai Nexo296+ 10.4%40568– 5.5%414140KGM Musso Sports279new –279new48 –41KGM Torres EVX264– 81.7%34716– 61.7%403642Chevrolet Trailblazer259– 37.7%38760– 38.9%394043KGM Musso Khan232new –232new49 –44Kia K9226+ 61.4%43513+ 1.4%434445Kia EV9202+ 10.4%46327– 56.7%454546Genesis G70144– 31.8%44413– 42.4%444247Hyundai ST1109new41317new464948KGM Rexton105– 40.0%45309– 41.7%474649Kia Tasman96new –96new51 –50KGM Korando41– 65.3%47148– 52.3%504751Renault Korea Master32new5063new535352Renault Korea SM630– 75.2%4886– 72.6%525053Chevrolet Colorado13– 23.5%5337– 43.9%565254Genesis GV606– 91.2%5224– 71.8%585155KGM Korando EV3new548new595656Chevrolet Traverse1– 98.7%5543– 86.3%544857Chevrolet Tahoe1– 80.0%5132+ 68.4%5755

South Korea March 2025 – foreign models:

PosModelMar-25/24Feb2025/24PosFY241Mercedes E Class3,086+ 511.1%26,431+ 203.8%112Tesla Model 32,344+ 15526.7%432,453+ 16253.3%343BMW 5 Series2,048– 9.5%35,571+ 0.4%224Mercedes GLC676+ 6.1%42,043+ 66.6%555Lexus ES583– 29.1%51,835+ 1.4%666BMW X3581+ 38.0%61,716+ 35.1%7127Mercedes GLE534+ 1.9%151,242– 19.4%12118Audi Q4 e-Tron485+ 22.5%22784+ 56.8%22229Volvo EX30478newn/a542new30 –10BMW 7 Series467+ 20.4%101,338+ 65.8%91511Mercedes S Class464+ 14.0%171,100+ 17.4%14912Mercedes C Class442– 27.5%36666– 52.0%271813Ford Explorer440+ 272.9%20931+ 268.0%174014Lexus NX438+ 222.1%121,097+ 71.9%151615BMW X7430+ 20.8%111,227+ 17.9%131416BMW X5423– 26.0%71,468– 16.7%8717Volvo XC60416+ 11.2%81,313+ 3.0%10818BMW 3 Series407– 5.8%91,250+ 39.5%111019VW ID.4407+ 16.0%13784+ 117.8%212720Porsche Cayenne343– 33.8%28804– 41.1%201921BMW X6337+ 8.4%16997+ 14.5%162022Polestar 4307newn/a481new34n/a23Mercedes CLE305+ 82.6%14905+ 246.7%182524Toyota Camry299+ 137.3%27645+ 52.1%283125Mini Cooper Hatch298– 26.8%21713– 21.6%242126Toyota RAV4296+ 11.7%n/a325– 50.2%442327Audi A6288+ 242.9%40439+ 213.6%383728BMW X4286– 19.7%18840– 14.0%191729Porsche Panamera270n/a29696+ 770.0%254330Porsche Taycan245+ 345.5%39487+ 233.6%334731Volvo XC40242+ 53.2%26667+ 58.8%262832BMW X1225+ 30.8%23638+ 31.5%293233Mercedes G Class205+ 20.6%19757+ 199.2%232634Lexus RX183+ 4.0%32448+ 0.2%363635BMW 4 Series181+ 49.6%30487+ 53.1%323836Mercedes A Class181– 30.7%38393– 41.0%402937Tesla Model Y178– 97.0%12,218– 63.1%4338Mini Countryman170– 52.4%24499– 43.5%312439BMW i5169– 13.3%45365– 30.1%415140BMW 2 Series Active Tourer165+ 44.7%31451+ 87.1%355441Land Rover Defender150+ 51.5%42347+ 28.0%425342Toyota Sienna148+ 48.0%n/a293+ 65.5%466043Mercedes GLB145+ 76.8%n/a201+ 10.4%n/an/a44BMW iX3138– 15.9%n/a224– 49.4%n/a4145Mercedes GLS135+ 11.6%34406+ 13.4%394446Porsche Macan131n/a50218+ 14.1%n/an/a47Jeep Wrangler129+ 38.7%n/a297+ 83.3%454648Toyota Alphard128+ 312.9%n/a292+ 214.0%47n/a49Range Rover Sport116+ 78.5%48276+ 140.0%49n/a50Honda Accord109– 8.4%25443+ 105.1%3755

Source: KAMA, KAIDA