The new model lifts Hyundai Palisade sales up 272.4% year-on-year.

The South Korean new light vehicle market is up 6.8% year-on-year in April to 150,188 units. This is split between 128,698 sales for domestic manufacturers (+8.1%) and 21,495 sales for foreigners (-0.3%). The year-to-date tally is up 3.9% to 537,890 including 455,738 locals (+3.2%) and 82,152 foreigners (+7.9%). Hyundai (+7.8%) continues to dominate the brands charts with 37.3% vs. 34% for sister brand Kia (+7.3%). Genesis (-2.4%) drops slightly but manages to pass the symbolic 10,000 monthly sales barrier for a third consecutive month. BMW (+16.7%) is back to the 4th spot it holds year-to-date, ranking above Renault Korea (+195.1%) and Mercedes (-26.6%). Porsche (+73.7%) and Lexus (+47.1%) also impress. Meanwhile BYD shoots up to #17 with 543 sales for its first full month in market. Tesla is down -16% year-on-year.

Over in the domestic models ranking, the Kia Sorento (+11.8%) lodges an 8th straight month in the top spot and 14th win in the past 16 months. It is followed once again by the Kia Carnival (+10.4%) with the Hyundai Avante (+22.3%) and Kia Sportage (-6.6%) in tow as they also were last month. The Hyundai Palisade (+272.4%) is the hero of the month at #5, with deliveries pushed up spectacularly thanks to a new generation. This is the Palisade nameplate’s highest ranking since June 2022 (#3). The new Kia Tasman is up 43 ranks on its inaugural month to land at #26 while the Kia EV4 lands at #31.

As for foreign models, the Mercedes E-Class (+4.9%) stays on top above the BMW 5 Series (+37.8%). Thanks to the new Juniper model, the Tesla Model Y (+20000%) soars back up to #3 ahead of the Tesla Model 3 (-62.8%). The BMW X5 (+64.3%) rounds out the Top 5. The BYD Atto 3 storms into the Top 50 directly into 7th place, with the Lexus NX (+3483.3%), Porsche Cayenne (+57.2%) and BMW X7 (+29.4%) also posting excellent scores.

Previous month: South Korea March 2025: Hyundai and Kia Sorento #1, BYD and Kia Tasman land

One year ago: South Korea April 2024: Kia Sorento and Sportage top negative market

Full April 2025 Top 32 All brands, Top 56 All domestic models and Top 50 foreign models below.

South Korea April 2025 – brands:

PosBrandApr-25%/24Mar2025%/24PosFY241Hyundai56,00637.3%+ 7.8%1192,72735.8%+ 8.2%112Kia51,08534.0%+ 7.3%2185,64934.5%+ 0.1%223Genesis11,5047.7%– 2.4%341,1437.6%– 9.7%334BMW6,7104.5%+ 16.7%525,3224.7%+ 11.5%445Renault Korea5,2523.5%+ 195.1%618,8503.5%+ 159.2%676Mercedes4,9083.3%– 26.6%420,1233.7%+ 15.6%557KG Mobility (ex Ssangyong)3,5462.4%– 3.2%711,7302.2%– 26.1%768Tesla1,4471.0%– 16.0%86,2651.2%– 20.9%889Lexus1,3530.9%+ 47.1%105,2301.0%+ 29.0%101110GM Korea1,3000.9%– 43.4%115,3691.0%– 41.7%9911Porsche1,0770.7%+ 73.7%133,5150.7%+ 21.0%121412Volvo1,0680.7%– 11.7%94,5710.8%+ 8.4%111013Toyota8800.6%– 1.5%142,9660.6%– 6.6%131214Audi8170.5%+ 6.1%122,8460.5%+ 52.2%141315Mini6610.4%– 2.2%152,0530.4%– 28.8%151616Ford5740.4%+ 64.0%171,8980.4%+ 52.6%161817BYD5430.4%new325530.1%new21 –18Land Rover3350.2%+ 25.0%181,6290.3%+ 33.4%171719Volkswagen2210.1%– 61.0%161,4330.3%– 29.4%181520Polestar1890.1%+ 127.7%196700.1%+ 119.7%202421Honda1620.1%– 3.0%208660.2%+ 11.6%192022Jeep1420.1%– 49.5%215470.1%– 42.7%221923Lincoln1260.1%– 37.0%225120.1%– 45.5%232124Peugeot970.1%– 4.0%232510.0%– 37.6%242325Cadillac670.0%+ 34.0%241660.0%– 25.6%262526Rolls-Royce270.0%+ 22.7%30650.0%+ 14.0%313027Ferrari260.0%n/a251300.0%n/a27 –28GMC210.0%– 41.7%26820.0%– 23.4%292829Lamborghini140.0%– 76.7%281270.0%+ 24.5%282630Chevrolet100.0%– 88.2%291950.0%– 60.4%252231Maserati100.0%– 56.5%27770.0%+ 0.0%302932Bentley100.0%– 58.3%31600.0%– 3.2%3227 –Total local manufacturers128,69385.7%+ 8.1% –455,73884.7%+ 3.2% – – –Total foreign manufacturers21,49514.3%– 0.3% –82,15215.3%+ 7.9% – – –Total market150,188100.0%+ 6.8% –537,890100.0%+ 3.9% – –

South Korea April 2025 – domestic models:

PosModelApr-25/24Mar2025/24PosFY241Kia Sorento8,796+ 11.8%135,472+ 1.9%112Kia Carnival7,592+ 10.4%229,104– 1.5%223Hyundai Avante7,099+ 22.3%325,687+ 53.6%494Kia Sportage6,703– 6.6%426,435– 1.5%345Hyundai Palisade6,662+ 272.4%1017,645+ 124.2%10226Hyundai Santa Fe6,354+ 8.7%721,840– 25.1%637Hyundai Grandeur6,080– 14.2%523,483+ 13.0%558Hyundai Porter5,372– 16.6%619,529– 22.3%869Hyundai Tucson5,223+ 22.5%1318,130+ 13.3%91010Kia Seltos5,101+ 1.5%819,558+ 10.6%7711Hyundai Sonata4,702+ 0.1%1117,495+ 63.6%11812Renault Korea Grand Koleos4,375new915,716new132113Genesis G804,340– 12.6%1414,945– 12.2%141214Kia Ray4,262– 4.4%1217,009– 1.4%121115Hyundai Staria3,727– 23.1%1512,933– 6.6%151416Kia K53,581+ 13.0%2111,530– 11.7%181817Kia Bongo3,303– 25.0%1612,422– 17.9%161518Genesis GV703,093+ 85.7%1711,687+ 68.3%171719Kia EV33,057new188,775new222820Genesis GV802,927– 28.3%1911,189– 36.6%191621Hyundai Kona2,722– 0.5%209,966+ 11.8%212022Kia K82,566+ 29.1%2210,024+ 10.3%201923Kia Niro1,716– 11.5%244,317– 17.9%242524Hyundai Ioniq 51,458– 8.0%264,125+ 11.4%262625Hyundai Casper1,455– 59.0%235,699– 56.5%231326Kia Tasman1,248new491,344new38 –27Chevrolet Trax Crossover1,079– 37.9%274,249– 38.6%252328Kia Morning1,028– 27.7%313,856– 25.7%272429Hyundai Ioniq 91,009new291,974new32 –30KGM Torres989– 13.9%283,173– 42.5%282731Kia EV4831new –831new43 –32Kia EV6789– 23.8%253,124+ 25.2%293133Genesis G90787– 5.1%322,528– 13.3%313334Hyundai Venue760+ 157.6%302,734+ 123.4%303935KGM Musso EV719new341,245new40 –36Hyundai Ioniq 6610+ 44.9%331,526+ 4.6%353837KGM Musso Sports569new40848new42 –38Renault Korea Arkana433– 55.0%371,340– 65.6%393239KGM Tivoli428– 19.5%361,541– 32.9%343540Renault Korea QM6385– 47.3%351,586– 46.6%333441KGM Musso Khan340new43572new48 –42KGM Actyon258new381,401new373743Genesis G70210+ 39.1%46623– 28.2%474244Chevrolet Trailblazer209– 54.5%42969– 43.1%414045Kia EV9150– 13.8%45477– 48.7%494546Kia K9147– 41.9%44660– 13.0%454447Genesis GV60147+ 67.0%54171– 1.2%535148KGM Rexton124– 28.7%48433– 38.5%504649Hyundai ST1115new47432new514950Hyundai Nexo85– 66.3%39653– 23.4%464151KGM Torres EVX74– 90.4%41790– 70.0%443652KGM Korando43– 56.6%50191– 53.3%524753Renault Korea SM639– 55.2%52125– 68.8%545054Renault Korea Master20n/a5183n/a555355Chevrolet Colorado10+ 100.0%5347– 33.8%565256KGM Korando EV2new5510new6056

South Korea April 2025 – foreign models:

PosModelApr-25/24Mar2025/24PosFY241Mercedes E Class2,180+ 4.9%18,611+ 105.2%112BMW 5 Series2,040+ 37.8%37,611+ 8.3%223Tesla Model Y804+ 20000.0%373,022– 49.8%434Tesla Model 3638– 62.8%23,091+ 78.6%345BMW X5598+ 64.3%162,066– 2.8%876Lexus ES569– 6.3%52,404– 0.5%567BYD Atto 3543new n/a553new38 –8Porsche Cayenne536+ 57.2%201,340– 21.5%17199Mercedes GLE519+ 11.6%71,761– 12.2%91110BMW 3 Series495+ 2.9%181,745+ 26.7%101011BMW X3452+ 14.7%62,168+ 30.3%71212BMW X7440+ 29.4%151,667+ 20.7%131413Lexus NX430+ 3483.3%141,527+ 134.9%141614Volvo XC60423+ 5.8%171,736+ 3.6%11815BMW 7 Series397– 3.6%101,735+ 42.3%121516BMW X6356+ 51.5%211,353+ 22.3%162017Mini Cooper Hatch352+ 70.9%251,065– 14.9%222118Mercedes G Class334+ 30.5%331,091+ 114.3%212619Ford Explorer321+ 103.2%131,252+ 204.6%184020BMW X4316– 14.6%281,156– 14.2%201721Mercedes S Class311– 50.1%111,411– 9.6%15922Mercedes GLC310– 52.2%42,353+ 25.5%6523Audi A6292+ 114.7%27731+ 145.3%303724Mercedes CLE258+ 5.7%231,163+ 130.3%192525Mercedes C Class256– 73.1%12922– 60.6%231826BMW X1248+ 20.4%32886+ 28.2%263227Volvo XC40223+ 16.8%31890+ 45.7%252828Toyota Camry219+ 32.7%24864+ 46.7%273129Porsche Panamera198+ 725.0%29894+ 759.6%244330BMW 4 Series194+ 43.7%35681+ 50.3%313831Toyota RAV4189– 33.7%26514– 45.1%412332Lexus RX184+ 17.2%34632+ 4.6%353633Polestar 4179new22660new32n/a34BMW i5156– 21.6%39521– 27.7%405135Toyota Alphard156+ 85.7%48448+ 153.1%43n/a36Porsche Taycan149+ 35.5%30636+ 148.4%344737BMW iX2137newn/a139new64n/a38Mercedes GLS133– 7.6%45539+ 7.4%394439BMW 2 Series Active Tourer132+ 0.8%40583+ 56.7%375440Audi Q3131n/an/a217n/a55n/a41Range Rover Sport130+ 136.4%49406+ 138.8%45n/a42Mini Countryman128– 52.2%38627– 45.5%362443Volvo EX30116new9658new33 –44Mercedes A Class114– 68.9%36507– 50.9%422945BMW iX3114+ 18.8%44338– 37.3%494146BMW iX114+ 570.6%n/a191n/a57n/a47Toyota Sienna112– 4.3%42405+ 20.9%466048Porsche 911112+ 4.7%n/a190– 46.5%585249Volvo XC90106– 38.4%n/a391– 19.9%474250Ford Bronco99+ 39.4%n/a148+ 108.5%62n/a

Source: KAIDA, Manufacturers