The Kia Sorento is the best-selling vehicle at home for the first time since June 2024.

South Korean new light vehicle sales edge up 3.4% year-on-year in July to 138,099. This positive result is solely due to foreign manufacturers up 23.2% to 27,081 whereas domestic carmakers are down -0.5% to 111,018. The year-to-date tally is up 3.5% to 962,431, including 797,434 local manufacturers (+2%) and 164,997 foreigners (+11.8%). Hyundai (+5.9%) cements its leadership above sister brand Kia (-2.4%), it is the same situation year-to-date where Hyundai (+5.7%) is far above Kia (stable). Genesis (-23.1%) manages to stay in 3rd place despite a drastic year-on-year loss, but Tesla (+174.5%) is spectacularly catching up. BMW (+1.7%) and Mercedes (+2.4%) are more muted below. KG Mobility (+5.2%) follows ahead of Renault Korea (+172.3%). Polestar (+471.8%), Audi (+36.7%) and Mini (+26.1%) shine below.

Looking at domestic models, the Kia Carnival (+2.3%) is up two spots on June to its 4th ever pole position after June 2024, October 2020 and November 2022. It remains a distant #2 year-to-date, way below the Kia Sorento (-7.1%) down to #2 for the month, and ending a streak of 10 consecutive months at #1. The Hyundai Palisade (+374%) benefits from the new models to lodge its second podium finish in the past three months at #3. Outstanding score also from the Hyundai Avante (+54.6%) at #4 while the Kia Sportage (-13%) is in difficulty but still closes the Top 5. Below, notice the Hyundai Tucson (+28.4%) and Kia K8 (+81.1%). The Kia EV4 (#25) is the best-selling recent launch above the KGM Musso EV (#26), Kia Tasman (#28), KGM Actyon (#29) and Hyundai Ioniq 9 (#31).

As for foreign models, the Tesla Model Y (+304.1%) is up 4-fold year-on-year to continue its ruthless domination, it even ranks #3 in the overall ranking including domestic cars. The BMW 5 Series (+25.2%) is back above the Mercedes E Class (-8.4%) for #2 while the Mercedes GLC (+34.2%) stays #4. The BMW X3 (+646.6%), Mercedes S-Class (+46.3%) is up 8 ranks on last month to #8 and the Volvo XC90 (+62%) is up 22 to #21.

Previous month: South Korea June 2025: Kia Sorento and Hyundai Avante on top

One year ago: South Korea July 2024: Kia back  to #1, EV3 lands

Full July 2025 Top 32 All brands, Top 58 All domestic models and Top 50 foreign models below.

South Korea July 2025 – brands:

PosBrandJul-25%/24Jun2025%/24PosFY241Hyundai48,00034.8%+ 5.9%1341,78635.5%+ 5.7%112Kia45,13332.7%– 2.4%2322,23233.5%– 0.0%223Genesis8,2276.0%– 23.1%369,3417.2%– 11.7%334Tesla7,3575.3%+ 174.5%526,5692.8%+ 32.4%785BMW6,4904.7%+ 1.7%444,7704.7%+ 7.9%446Mercedes4,4723.2%+ 2.4%637,0473.9%+ 7.8%557KG Mobility4,4563.2%+ 5.2%822,7872.4%– 19.2%868Renault Korea4,0002.9%+ 172.3%732,0653.3%+ 152.8%679Lexus1,3691.0%+ 23.6%108,9630.9%+ 19.0%101110Audi1,2590.9%+ 36.7%136,1690.6%+ 36.4%131311GM Korea1,2020.9%– 45.3%99,2231.0%– 41.1%9912Volvo1,0150.7%– 28.1%117,7820.8%– 9.5%111013Porsche1,0140.7%+ 0.2%126,7770.7%+ 48.1%121414Toyota7790.6%– 7.9%145,2790.5%– 1.9%141215Mini7240.5%+ 26.1%154,1420.4%– 15.9%151616Volkswagen6010.4%– 28.1%163,2840.3%– 11.5%161517Land Rover3930.3%– 3.7%172,8970.3%+ 21.0%181718Ford2960.2%– 16.9%182,9340.3%+ 29.0%171819BYD2920.2%new211,5780.2%new203020Polestar2230.2%+ 471.8%191,6090.2%+ 301.2%192321Jeep2190.2%– 2.2%201,1480.1%– 30.9%221922Honda1430.1%– 39.1%221,2960.1%– 12.2%212023Lincoln1220.1%– 15.3%248250.1%– 44.6%232124Peugeot780.1%– 15.2%235270.1%– 20.5%242225Cadillac620.0%– 15.1%253890.0%– 5.1%252426Lamborghini550.0%+ 3.8%262630.0%+ 6.0%262527Maserati280.0%+ 33.3%291410.0%– 19.9%302828Bentley260.0%– 25.7%281420.0%– 18.9%292629Ferrari250.0%n/a272090.0%n/a273130GMC240.0%– 25.0%311430.0%– 25.1%282731Rolls-Royce150.0%+ 0.0%301140.0%+ 3.6%3129 –Total local manufacturers111,01880.4%– 0.5% –797,43482.9%+ 2.0% – – –Total foreign manufacturers27,08119.6%+ 23.2% –164,99717.2%+ 11.8% – –

South Korea July 2025 – domestic models:

PosModelJul-25/24Jun2025/24PosFY241Kia Carnival7,211+ 2.3%349,680– 4.3%222Kia Sorento7,053– 7.1%158,182+ 1.7%113Hyundai Palisade6,238+ 374.0%637,036+ 214.1%6224Hyundai Avante6,145+ 54.6%245,755+ 46.2%395Kia Sportage5,424– 13.0%443,517– 4.4%446Kia Seltos4,921– 10.3%833,836– 2.5%877Hyundai Porter4,496– 13.2%1032,875– 23.7%968Hyundai Grandeur4,408– 29.9%538,067– 4.0%559Hyundai Santa Fe4,252– 19.0%736,504– 18.9%7310Hyundai Tucson4,011+ 28.4%930,682+ 8.9%101011Kia Ray3,769– 14.0%1129,038– 2.1%121112Hyundai Staria3,632+ 1.6%1423,647– 0.6%151413Kia Bongo3,520+ 0.9%1821,471– 18.0%161514Hyundai Sonata3,314– 40.1%1229,159+ 5.1%11815Renault Korea Grand Koleos3,029new1326,139new132116Kia K52,868+ 6.1%1920,299– 3.8%171817Genesis G802,786– 11.4%1524,987– 9.1%141218Hyundai Kona2,592+ 7.4%2017,116+ 2.5%212019Genesis GV702,553– 33.5%1619,677+ 12.2%181720Hyundai Bus/Truck2,204n/a2310,189n/a23n/a21Kia EV32,199+ 11.3%2214,724+ 645.5%222822Genesis GV802,157– 24.0%1718,654– 30.0%191623Kia K82,090+ 81.1%2117,164+ 25.9%201924Hyundai Ioniq 51,510– 14.4%248,379– 5.8%252625Kia EV41,485new294,762new33 –26KGM Musso EV1,339new374,314new36 –27Hyundai Venue1,272+ 248.5%286,249+ 132.7%293928Kia Tasman1,271new255,265new31 –29KGM Actyon1,249new433,113new383730Hyundai Casper1,245– 63.6%268,836– 62.8%241331Hyundai Ioniq 91,137new324,745new34 –32Kia Niro1,035– 14.7%307,669– 20.5%262533Chevrolet Trax Crossover1,001– 37.7%317,376– 37.6%282334Hyundai Nexo1,001+ 203.3%551,726– 3.7%434135Kia EV6936– 30.4%335,744– 13.6%303136Kia Morning838– 37.2%277,425– 11.8%272437Hyundai Ioniq 6616+ 124.0%343,570+ 48.6%373838Genesis G90579– 2.5%354,511– 10.0%353339KGM Torres511– 61.0%365,100– 48.0%322740Renault Korea Arkana511– 24.9%382,799– 58.1%403241KGM Tivoli446– 31.3%402,818– 31.4%393542Renault Korea QM6384– 48.0%422,678– 49.3%413443KGM Musso Sports373new392,057new42 –44KGM Musso Khan239new411,497new46 –45Kia Bus/Special227n/a47936n/a5146Chevrolet Trailblazer190– 45.7%441,660– 39.7%444047Kia EV9173+ 7.5%48941– 32.1%504548KGM Torres EVX162– 79.2%451,279– 72.6%473649Hyundai ST1127– 34.5%53750+ 90.8%524950Kia K9113– 44.1%50974– 30.6%494451KGM Rexton New Arena107– 45.1%49745– 41.2%534652Genesis GV6081+ 26.6%51443+ 16.9%545153Genesis G7071– 68.6%461,069– 24.8%484254Renault Korea Master44+ 120.0%56186– 11.8%575355Renault Korea SM632+ 3.2%52253– 51.3%565056KGM Korando31– 70.8%54328– 54.9%554757Chevrolet Colorado8– 87.7%5868– 50.7%585258Chevrolet Traverse3– 97.2%5953– 91.5%5948

South Korea July 2025 – foreign models:

PosModelJul-25/24Jun2025/24PosFY241Tesla Model Y6,559+ 304.1%121,980+ 88.4%132BMW 5 Series2,059+ 25.2%314,017+ 20.1%323Mercedes E Class1,379– 8.4%214,933+ 43.3%214Mercedes GLC840+ 34.2%45,100+ 20.5%455Tesla Model 3798– 24.4%314,429– 45.2%546BMW 3 Series666+ 51.4%63,492+ 29.6%8107BMW X3545+ 646.6%73,812+ 29.7%6128Mercedes S Class528+ 46.3%162,669– 8.7%1599Lexus ES460– 12.5%83,752– 6.2%7610Lexus NX459+ 17.1%102,783+ 41.1%141611BMW 7 Series454+ 8.1%93,001+ 28.4%111512Audi Q4 e-Tron430+ 21.5%181,941+ 3.9%222213BMW X5414– 38.7%143,440– 5.6%9714BMW X7369– 3.7%152,790+ 17.4%131415Mercedes GLE361– 21.2%53,423– 1.0%101116Mini Cooper Hatch354+ 31.6%192,059+ 11.4%202117Volvo XC60346– 41.9%122,937– 14.3%12818BMW X4317+ 6.4%172,131– 6.0%181719VW ID.4302– 14.9%261,443+ 53.3%292720Mercedes G Class271n/a242,087n/a192621Volvo XC90264+ 62.0%43880– 12.8%394222Porsche Cayenne257– 37.3%112,524+ 10.6%161923Lexus RX257+ 61.6%271,272+ 20.7%323624Mercedes CLE254– 42.7%202,057+ 31.7%212525BYD Atto 3254n/a281,534new25 –26Porsche Taycan245n/a451,142n/a354727Porsche Panamera230– 35.6%471,475+ 128.0%284328Toyota RAV4223– 5.5%231,174– 27.4%342329BMW X6215– 34.0%212,166+ 13.5%172030BMW X1210+ 61.5%301,484+ 34.8%263231Mercedes C Class208– 0.5%131,914– 35.6%231832BMW 4 Series208+ 74.8%291,289+ 61.1%313833Polestar 4198new501,268new33n/a34BMW i5174+ 65.7%371,002– 9.6%365135Porsche Macan170n/a33801n/a42n/a36Toyota Alphard164+ 65.7%n/a841+ 161.2%40n/a37Toyota Camry163+ 8.7%341,353+ 29.1%303138VW Golf160+ 77.8%41387+ 330.0%564539Volvo XC40145– 44.7%251,476+ 6.2%272840Ford Explorer137– 32.5%351,796+ 94.6%244041Range Rover Sport131+ 67.9%39794+ 62.4%43n/a42Audi A5130n/an/an/an/a110n/a43Jeep Wrangler129+ 76.7%49609– 3.3%474644Audi A3127#DIV/0!38n/an/an/an/a45Mini Countryman123– 21.2%48981– 44.7%372446Audi Q6 e-tron123n/an/a209new63 –47Mini Electric116new36301new62n/a48Range Rover110– 33.7%40600– 33.6%483949Toyota Prius104– 37.7%n/a361– 31.6%57n/a50Audi Q5102n/an/an/an/an/a59

Source: KAIDA, manufacturers