The Kia EV5 has finally landed at home.

Exceptional month for new light vehicle sales in South Korea: they are up 20.8% year-on-year in September to 157,522 units. This includes 124,692 domestic vehicles (+18.1%) and 32,830 foreigners (+32.2%). Year-to-date volumes are up 5.1% to 1,258,361 including 1,033,235 domestic (+3.1%) and 225,126 foreigners (+15.6%). Hyundai soars 25% to 35.8% share with sister brand Kia up an even more impressive 28.6% to 31.2% of the market. Genesis (-10.3%) brakes at #3 just as Tesla shoots up 572.3% to over 9,000 sales, a new record. Audi (+43.3%) also impresses at #9 while newcomer BYD is up to five spots on August to #13 with 0.6% share.

Looking at domestic models, the Kia Sorento (+35.5%) reclaims the top spot it holds year-to-date, passing the Hyundai Avante (+104.8%). The Kia Carnival (+37.9%) and Sportage (+41.3%) camp on their August positions while the Hyundai Santa Fe (+8.4%) is back up 7 ranks on last month to #5. No other Top 10 member beats the market, with the Hyundai Grandeur (-11.8%) and Sonata (-2.1%) hit the hardest. The Hyundai Palisade is up 138.8% year-on-year but down five spots on August to #11. The new Hyundai Ioniq 9 is up to a record #28 and we finally welcome the Kia EV5 at #47, months after its global launch.

Foreign models data will be uploaded to this article when made available to us.

Previous month: South Korea August 2025: Hyundai Avante and Tesla Model Y on top, Kia PV5 lands

One year ago: South Korea September 2024: Renault Grand Koleos up to #12

Full September 2025 Top 31 All brands and Top 61 All domestic models below.

South Korea September 2025 – brands:

PosBrandSep-25%/24Aug2025%/24PosFY241Hyundai56,46335.8%+ 25.0%1447,26835.5%+ 7.5%112Kia49,20131.2%+ 28.6%2415,10833.0%+ 1.9%223Genesis9,5386.1%– 10.3%388,1907.0%– 13.8%334Tesla9,0695.8%+ 572.3%443,6123.5%+ 84.7%685Mercedes6,9044.4%– 17.6%648,2833.8%+ 0.5%556BMW6,6104.2%– 6.7%557,8384.6%+ 6.2%447Renault Korea4,1822.7%– 16.5%840,1153.2%+ 110.7%778KG Mobility4,1002.6%– 9.6%730,9422.5%– 15.7%869Audi1,4260.9%+ 43.3%108,8580.7%+ 35.7%121310Lexus1,4170.9%+ 8.0%1111,6290.9%+ 14.1%91111Volvo1,3990.9%+ 9.1%910,4940.8%– 5.7%111012GM Korea1,2080.8%– 38.3%1211,6120.9%– 39.6%10913BYD1,0200.6%new182,9670.2%new193014Toyota9120.6%+ 17.2%137,0740.6%+ 0.2%141215Porsche8030.5%+ 11.4%148,3450.7%+ 38.1%131416Mini7980.5%+ 86.4%155,6050.4%– 2.2%151617Land Rover7220.5%+ 61.9%164,0650.3%+ 25.6%161718Polestar3610.2%+ 8925.0%202,2270.2%+ 443.2%202319Ford3510.2%+ 23.2%193,6390.3%+ 23.3%181820Jeep2270.1%+ 17.0%211,4960.1%– 26.5%211921Volkswagen2110.1%– 72.2%173,9050.3%– 34.0%171522Peugeot1160.1%+ 190.0%237150.1%– 4.9%242223Cadillac970.1%+ 79.6%255430.0%+ 3.4%252424Lincoln910.1%– 52.8%249740.1%– 46.5%232125Bentley820.1%+ 95.2%302470.0%– 3.9%282626Honda770.0%– 65.5%221,4840.1%– 24.7%222027Lamborghini420.0%+ 13.5%283290.0%+ 1.9%262528Ferrari350.0%n/a262730.0%n/a273129Maserati310.0%+ 93.8%271980.0%– 2.5%292830GMC180.0%– 30.8%291850.0%– 24.2%302731Rolls-Royce110.0%– 8.3%311410.0%+ 4.4%3129 –Total local manufacturers124,69279.2%+ 18.1% –1,033,23582.1%+ 3.1% – – –Total foreign manufacturers32,83020.8%+ 32.2% –225,12617.9%+ 15.6% – – –Total market157,522100.0%+ 20.8% –1,258,361100.0%+ 5.1% – –

South Korea September 2025 – domestic models:

PosModelSep-25/24Aug2025/24PosFY241Kia Sorento8,978+ 35.5%273,691+ 9.5%112Hyundai Avante7,675+ 104.8%161,085+ 56.7%393Kia Carnival6,758+ 37.9%362,469+ 0.2%224Kia Sportage6,416+ 41.3%455,688– 0.7%445Hyundai Santa Fe5,763+ 8.4%1245,570– 18.7%736Hyundai Grandeur5,398– 11.8%748,604– 6.5%557Hyundai Porter5,325+ 19.5%543,747– 17.0%868Hyundai Tucson5,130+ 12.7%939,685+ 8.1%10109Kia Seltos4,965+ 12.0%843,039– 3.7%9710Hyundai Sonata4,787– 2.1%1037,473– 3.8%11811Hyundai Palisade4,070+ 138.8%646,338+ 208.4%62212Kia Ray4,003+ 19.0%1136,525– 0.6%121113Hyundai Kona3,586+ 34.8%1623,715+ 10.4%202014Genesis G803,354– 14.0%1931,167– 10.6%141215Kia Bongo3,228+ 24.8%1527,867– 12.3%161516Kia K53,127+ 37.3%1426,664+ 2.3%171817Hyundai Staria3,101– 2.9%1329,994+ 0.2%151418Renault Korea Grand Koleos3,019– 22.6%1832,061+ 712.7%132119Genesis GV702,791– 16.5%1725,451+ 2.8%181720Hyundai Bus/Truck2,735+ 101.4%2215,126n/a23n/a21Genesis GV802,564– 1.8%2023,853– 24.1%191622Hyundai Ioniq 52,269+ 93.6%2512,310+ 9.1%242623Kia K82,159– 54.3%2421,299+ 1.1%211924Hyundai Casper2,144– 46.4%2612,227– 62.7%251325Kia EV31,927– 4.7%2118,968+ 137.1%222826Kia Morning1,805+ 86.5%2311,310+ 9.8%262427Kia EV61,322+ 308.0%298,146+ 7.6%293128Hyundai Ioniq 91,272new346,943new32 –29Hyundai Nexo1,239+ 362.3%274,168+ 73.1%394130Kia EV41,151new287,037new31 –31KGM Actyon1,057– 37.3%325,210+ 111.3%373732Kia Niro1,048+ 20.0%309,779– 16.2%272533Chevrolet Trax Crossover1,012– 29.9%339,381– 34.9%282334Hyundai Venue1,002+ 143.8%368,064+ 137.5%303935KGM Musso EV957new316,311new34 –36Kia Tasman777new356,929new33 –37Kia PV5672new51833new54 –38KGM Torres663+ 4.9%426,145– 45.9%352739Hyundai Ioniq 6657+ 78.5%454,457+ 40.3%383840Genesis G90575+ 4.4%375,663– 7.1%363341Renault Korea Arkana530– 8.5%393,780– 51.7%413242KGM Tivoli501– 2.7%383,788– 27.1%403543Renault Korea QM6426– 9.0%413,488– 45.6%423444KGM Musso Sports387new402,889new43 –45Kia Bus/Special337+ 258.5%431,561n/a47 –46Hyundai ST1310+ 203.9%471,261+ 86.0%504947Kia EV5272new –272new59 –48KGM Musso Khan240new461,963new45 –49Chevrolet Trailblazer190– 41.4%492,035– 39.1%444050Genesis G70173– 14.4%481,441– 22.2%494251KGM Torres EVX160– 44.3%441,692– 68.3%463652Kia EV9147+ 20.5%531,200– 25.0%524553Renault Korea Master131+ 336.7%57351+ 34.5%575354Kia K9109– 33.1%521,226– 29.7%514455KGM Rexton New Arena102– 25.5%501,015– 35.4%534656Genesis GV6081+ 138.2%54615+ 37.9%555157Renault Korea Scenic E-Tech50new5698new60 –58KGM Korando33– 34.0%58393– 54.2%564759Renault Korea SM626– 21.2%55337– 42.6%585060Chevrolet Colorado4– 94.1%5975– 74.2%615261Chevrolet Traverse2– 97.6% –55– 93.1%6248

Source: KAMA, KAIDA