The Tesla Model Y is the best-selling vehicle in South Korea for the third month in a row.

The South Korean new light vehicle market continues to perform poorly in September at -14.5% year-on-year to 134,717 units. This is solely due to the weakness of local manufacturers at -20% to 99,813 whereas foreigners gain 6.3% to 34,904. The year-to-date tally is down -2.4% to 1,228,524, with locals off -8.2% to 948,814 and foreigners up a splendid 24.2% to 279,710.

In the brands ranking, Kia (-6.6%) widens the gap with sister brand Hyundai (-23.3%), cementing its YTD leadership at 35.6% share vs. 31.4%. Tesla (+36.4%) is #3 again and reaches its second best ever volume at 12,372 units (record is 13,190 last April) BMW (-8.2%) and Mercedes (-20.7%) round out the Top 5. BYD (+156.3%) surges year-on-year and ranks #7 with 1.9% share, with Polestar (+113%) and Volkswagen (+188.6%) also posting tremendous gains. We welcome Zeekr in the ranking at #23.

Over in the local models ranking, the Hyundai Grandeur (+64.8%) takes the lead for the third time in the past four months while the Hyundai Avante (-4.8%) is back up 17 spots on August to #2. The Kia Sorento (-22.5%), Sportage (-14.3%) and Seltos (+9.2%) follow, with the Sorento keeping the year-to-date lead by a solid margin. The Kia Ray (+5.7%) also defies the negative market at #7, as do the Kia Morning (+39.7%) at #14 and the Kia EV5 (+694.1%) celebrating one year in market at #16.

The Tesla Model Y is estimated to lead both the foreign and overall rankings with over 10,000 sales. This is the fourth time the Model Y is the best-selling vehicle in South Korea outright after last May, last July and last month. Detailed September data for foreign models will be uploaded to this article when made available to us.

Previous month: South Korea August 2026: Tesla Model Y distant leader above Kia Sorento, market off -20.8%

One year ago: South Korea September 2025: Market up 20.8%, Tesla breaks record, Kia EV5 lands

Full September 2026 Top 31 All brands and Top 55 All local models below.

South Korea September 2026 – brands:

PosBrandSep-26%/25Aug2026%/25PosFY251Kia45,96334.1%– 6.6%1437,54235.6%+ 5.4%122Hyundai43,28032.1%– 23.3%2385,44031.4%– 13.8%213Tesla12,3729.2%+ 36.4%389,1487.3%+ 104.4%364BMW6,0664.5%– 8.2%457,9294.7%+ 0.2%545Mercedes5,4774.1%– 20.7%643,2493.5%– 10.4%656Genesis5,4724.1%– 42.6%562,4715.1%– 29.2%437BYD2,6141.9%+ 156.3%720,1371.6%+ 578.7%9168Renault Korea2,2891.7%– 45.3%927,2042.2%– 32.2%879KGM2,1001.6%– 48.8%828,8172.3%– 6.9%7810Volvo1,4141.0%+ 1.1%1310,6120.9%+ 1.1%11911Lexus1,0640.8%– 24.9%1111,1970.9%– 3.7%101012Toyota9710.7%+ 6.5%108,5130.7%+ 20.3%131413Audi9000.7%– 36.9%129,9820.8%+ 12.7%121214Porsche8770.7%+ 9.2%146,5730.5%– 21.2%151315Polestar7690.6%+ 113.0%183,7190.3%+ 67.0%182016Chevrolet7090.5%– 41.3%157,3400.6%– 36.8%141117Land Rover6560.5%– 9.1%193,6950.3%– 9.1%191718Mini6410.5%– 19.7%166,0660.5%+ 8.2%161519Volkswagen6090.5%+ 188.6%174,1990.3%+ 7.5%171820Jeep1190.1%– 47.6%208730.1%– 41.6%202121GMC630.0%+ 250.0%226330.1%+ 242.2%213022Lamborghini590.0%+ 40.5%214030.0%+ 22.5%252623Zeekr490.0%new –490.0%new31 –24Peugeot440.0%– 62.1%234470.0%– 37.5%232425Cadillac430.0%– 55.7%264280.0%– 21.2%242526Bentley320.0%– 61.0%243290.0%+ 33.2%282727Honda240.0%– 68.8%254670.0%– 68.5%222228Ferrari190.0%– 45.7%271770.0%– 35.2%292829Rolls-Royce150.0%+ 36.4%291290.0%– 8.5%303130Lincoln40.0%– 95.6%303670.0%– 62.3%272331Ford30.0%– 99.1%283870.0%– 89.4%2619 –Total local manufacturers99,81374.1%– 20.0% –948,81477.2%– 8.2% – – –Total foreign manufacturers34,90425.9%+ 6.3% –279,71022.8%+ 24.2% – – –Total market134,717100.0%– 14.5% –1,228,524100.0%– 2.4% – –

South Korea September 2026 – local models:

PosModelSep-26/25Aug2026/25PosFY251Hyundai Grandeur8,898+ 64.8%261,751+ 27.0%252Hyundai Avante7,305– 4.8%1939,980– 34.6%623Kia Sorento6,957– 22.5%174,933+ 1.7%114Kia Sportage5,497– 14.3%546,015– 17.4%445Kia Seltos5,422+ 9.2%839,701– 7.8%796Kia Carnival5,286– 21.8%446,591– 25.4%337Kia Ray4,230+ 5.7%637,506+ 2.7%9128Hyundai Sonata4,153– 13.2%1142,181+ 12.6%5119Hyundai Porter3,420– 35.8%337,879– 13.4%8810Hyundai Santa Fe3,217– 44.2%731,146– 31.7%10711Hyundai Staria3,088– 0.4%1323,068– 23.1%171512Hyundai Palisade2,965– 27.1%1627,068– 41.6%11613Kia K52,916– 6.7%1522,945– 13.9%181614Kia Morning2,522+ 39.7%2119,335+ 71.0%212515Kia Bongo2,347– 27.3%1223,993– 13.9%151716Kia EV52,160+ 694.1%1024,705+ 8982.7%134917Hyundai Bus/Truck2,016– 26.3%1816,405+ 8.5%232318Genesis G801,959– 41.6%2022,280– 28.5%191319Genesis GV701,959– 29.8%2219,132– 24.8%221820Kia PV51,888+ 181.0%1721,104+ 2433.5%204521Hyundai Kona1,872– 47.8%2623,536– 0.8%161922Hyundai Tucson1,825– 64.4%3524,209– 39.0%141023Kia K81,734– 19.7%1415,896– 25.4%252124Kia EV31,627– 15.6%926,699+ 40.8%122225Kia Niro1,351+ 28.9%2512,158+ 24.3%272726Hyundai Casper1,337– 37.6%2711,927– 2.5%282427Hyundai Ioniq 51,262– 44.4%2316,361+ 32.9%242628Genesis GV801,261– 50.8%2415,511– 35.0%262029Renault Korea Grand Koleos1,007– 66.6%2811,183– 65.1%301430Hyundai Ioniq 9760– 40.3%299,984+ 43.8%313331KGM Musso717+ 85.3%349,870+ 241.6%324432Renault Korea Arkana691+ 30.4%334,391+ 16.2%404033Renault Korea Filante591new3611,272new29 –34Chevrolet Trax Crossover588– 41.9%316,007– 36.0%372935Hyundai Ioniq 6545– 17.0%396,535+ 46.6%364236Kia EV4498– 56.7%309,816+ 39.5%333437KGM Tivoli428– 14.6%324,181+ 10.4%424138Kia EV6410– 69.0%407,197– 11.6%343039Kia Tasman404– 48.0%423,200– 53.8%453240KGM Torres397– 40.1%373,631– 40.9%443141Kia Bus/Special364+ 8.0%462,892+ 85.3%464642Genesis G90348– 39.5%453,705– 34.6%433643KGM Actyon347– 67.2%384,509– 13.5%393544Hyundai Nexo326– 73.7%444,377+ 5.0%413945Kia EV9289+ 96.6%432,595+ 116.3%475346Hyundai Venue146– 85.4%417,084– 12.2%352847Hyundai ST1145– 53.2%481,054– 16.4%505548Chevrolet Trailblazer121– 36.3%491,291– 36.6%484849Genesis G70116– 32.9%511,055– 26.8%495050KGM Musso EV107– 88.8%475,148– 18.4%383751KGM Rexton New Arena86– 15.7%53723– 28.8%545752Genesis GV6085+ 4.9%52849+ 38.0%525853Kia K961– 44.0%54881– 28.1%515454KGM Torres EVX18– 88.8%50753– 55.5%535255Genesis GV60 Magma14new5593new56 –

Source: KAIDA, manufacturers