The Kia EV3 ranks #9 at home for its 2nd month in market.

New car sales in South Korea climb 5.5% year-on-year in August to 137,014 thanks to domestic manufacturers (+7.8% to 114,751) while foreigners stumble (-4.7% to 22,263). Year-to-date sales remain frankly in negative at -7.8% to 1,066,536 including 896,644 locals (-8.7%) and 169,892 foreigners (-3%). Hyundai (+3%) is back above sister brand Kia (+11%) but with less than 1,000 sales margin. Hyundai increases its year-to-date gap with Kia to a mere 1,871 units. Genesis (+44%) is in fantastic shape, exceeding 10,000 units for the 10th consecutive month. BMW (-6.7%) continues to lead foreign brands despite a year-on-year loss, ahead of Mercedes (-19.8%), Tesla, Volkswagen (+2%) and Lexus (+24.2%).

In the domestic models ranking, the Hyundai Sonata (+110.5%) surges to snap its first monthly win since October 2019. But this stunning score is due to taxi models imported from China which account for 49% of the nameplate’s August volume. The Grandeur (-29.9%) makes it two Hyundai sedans in the lead. The next four models all outpace the market with double-digit gains or more. The Kia Sportage is up 14.9% to #3, the Hyundai Santa Fe up 105.9% to #4, the Kia Seltos up 58.1% to #5 and the Kia Carnival up 12.1% to #6.

The Hyundai Casper (+32.3%) returns inside the Top 10 for the first time since last November just as the new Kia EV3 breaks this same Top 10 for the first time at #9 for only its 2nd month of sales. Still leader YTD, the Kia Sorento (-51.2%) implodes to #13 this month due to its Hwaseong Plant 1 plant stopping production to prepare for the arrival of the Tasman pickup. Newcomers this month are the KGM Actyon at #29 (pre-orders have exceeded 10,000 units) and the Renault Grand Koleos at #50.

The Mercedes E-Class (+61.9%) takes the lead of the foreign models ranking for August but it’s the Tesla Model Y (+181.9%) that manages the event of the month by snapping the YTD top spot off the BMW 5 Series (-34.5%). The Tesla Model 3 remains at #4 ahead of the VW ID.4 (+228.9%) reaching a ranking record at #5.

Previous month: South Korea July 2024: Kia back to #1, EV3 lands

One year ago: South Korea August 2023: Hyundai and Grandeur back in charge in stable market

Full August 2024 Top 30 All brands, Top 56 All domestic cars and Top 50 foreign cars below.

South Korea August 2024 – brands:

PosBrandAug-24%/23Jul2024%/23PosFY231Hyundai47,76434.9%+ 3.0%2370,98034.8%– 12.0%112Kia46,85034.2%+ 11.0%1369,10934.6%– 3.5%223Genesis13,2309.7%+ 44.1%391,7278.6%+ 3.2%334BMW5,8804.3%– 6.7%447,3904.4%– 5.9%445Mercedes5,2863.9%– 19.8%539,6663.7%– 16.3%556KG Mobility (ex Ssangyong)3,9432.9%+ 1.0%632,1583.0%– 31.5%667Tesla2,2081.6%n/a722,2682.1%n/a7118GM Korea1,6141.2%– 51.0%817,2701.6%– 34.6%879Volkswagen1,4451.1%+ 2.0%155,1560.5%– 11.9%161410Lexus1,3551.0%+ 24.2%118,8840.8%– 2.7%111211Renault Korea1,3501.0%– 10.1%914,0321.3%– 9.3%9812Volvo1,2450.9%+ 15.3%109,8410.9%– 10.1%101013Audi1,0100.7%– 34.9%135,5340.5%– 56.4%13914Toyota9000.7%+ 22.8%146,2810.6%+ 17.8%121615Porsche7470.5%– 32.8%125,3220.5%– 35.8%141316Land Rover3970.3%+ 3.9%172,7910.3%– 26.1%171817Ford3920.3%+ 116.6%182,6660.2%+ 10.3%182018Mini3790.3%– 63.4%165,3060.5%– 15.3%151519Honda2720.2%+ 159.0%191,7480.2%+ 146.5%202420Chevrolet1870.1%– 61.2%229530.1%– 74.6%221721Jeep1780.1%– 67.8%201,8400.2%– 40.7%191922Lincoln1380.1%+ 165.4%211,6280.2%+ 107.9%212223Cadillac610.0%+ 0.0%244710.0%– 24.3%242524Peugeot490.0%– 73.4%237120.1%– 39.4%232125Bentley400.0%– 52.4%272150.0%– 60.8%282626Lamborghini380.0%– 5.0%252860.0%+ 7.1%262927GMC270.0%– 6.9%282180.0%– 36.4%272728Rolls-Royce130.0%– 55.2%301230.0%– 42.0%303029Maserati110.0%– 78.4%291870.0%– 38.5%292830Polestar50.0%– 97.3%264060.0%– 49.9%2523 –Total local manufacturers114,75183.8%+ 7.8% –896,64484.1%– 8.7% – – –Total foreign manufacturers22,26316.2%– 4.7% –169,89215.9%– 3.0% – – –Total market137,014100.0%+ 5.5% –1,066,536100.0%– 7.8% – –

South Korea August 2024 – domestic models:

PosModelAug-24/23Jul2024/23PosFY231Hyundai Sonata6,317+ 110.5%534,073+ 56.4%9172Hyundai Grandeur6,187– 29.9%345,844– 42.9%613Kia Sportage5,988+ 14.9%451,522+ 7.5%354Hyundai Santa Fe5,715+ 105.9%750,728+ 136.9%485Kia Seltos5,551+ 58.1%640,243+ 14.2%7106Kia Carnival5,534+ 12.1%257,452+ 14.0%247Hyundai Porter5,170– 13.6%848,278– 29.0%528Hyundai Casper5,031+ 32.3%1428,784+ 1.4%15119Kia EV34,002new205,977new31 –10Hyundai Tucson3,965+ 33.2%1632,151+ 5.8%111211Hyundai Avante3,939– 17.2%1035,237– 21.7%8612Genesis GV703,879+ 32.5%1121,423– 4.1%182113Kia Ray3,710– 15.7%933,378– 1.3%10914Kia Sorento3,502– 51.2%160,686+ 22.8%1315Genesis G803,488+ 19.3%1530,982– 6.9%121316Kia Bongo2,990– 23.2%1329,189– 33.5%13717Hyundai Staria2,951+ 0.4%1226,734– 1.0%161618Kia K82,711+ 10.3%3016,343– 47.5%201519Kia K52,690+ 2.9%1823,780+ 6.3%172020Genesis GV802,161+ 27.7%1728,810+ 58.7%142221Hyundai Kona2,135– 20.8%1918,829– 21.4%191922Hyundai Palisade1,529– 59.2%2613,322– 55.8%211423Hyundai Ioniq 51,222+ 15.2%2110,114– 15.1%252724Kia Niro1,152– 36.3%2810,795– 36.1%232525Chevrolet Trax Crossover1,145– 46.2%2212,970– 14.9%222426KGM Rexton Sports1,049– 19.9%298,672– 17.9%282827KGM Torres915– 42.5%2710,717– 62.8%241828Kia Morning910– 68.7%259,328– 47.7%272329KGM Actyon780new –780new46 –30Renault Korea QM6672– 1.9%325,949– 20.1%323131Kia EV6599– 36.8%247,248– 45.4%302632Kia K3588– 47.6%239,827+ 16.2%262933Renault Korea Arkana579– 7.9%337,253+ 14.7%293334KGM Tivoli573– 10.3%344,678+ 8.3%353735Genesis G90532– 49.5%355,542– 39.3%333036Hyundai Ioniq 6405+ 1.3%392,808– 63.4%383237KGM Torres EVX377new315,047new344538Hyundai Nexo347+ 18.4%382,140– 40.4%393939Hyundai Venue299– 66.9%362,985– 40.6%373440Chevrolet Trailblazer264– 60.8%373,016– 46.5%363641Genesis G70230– 49.7%401,651– 47.0%414042Kia Mohave204– 46.2%422,000– 48.0%403843Hyundai ST1183new44576new48 –44Kia K9177– 49.0%411,580– 47.0%424145KGM Rexton166– 31.4%431,433– 32.8%444346Kia EV992– 77.5%451,478– 50.6%433547Chevrolet Colorado85– 29.2%48223– 79.8%524648Chevrolet Traverse84+ 33.3%47711– 8.5%475049KGM Korando82– 31.7%46809– 25.2%454850Renault Korea Grand Koleos45new –45new55 –51Renault Korea SM634– 81.9%51554– 66.2%494452Genesis GV6033– 74.0%49412– 85.5%504253GMC Sierra27– 28.9%50219– 35.4%535354Renault Korea Master20n/a52231+ 239.7%515755Chevrolet Tahoe9– 30.8%5382– 49.7%545456KGM Korando EV1new5522new56 –

South Korea August 2024 – foreign models:

PosModelAug-24/23Jul2024/23PosFY231Mercedes E Class2,237+ 61.9%312,658+ 5.2%312Tesla Model Y1,215+ 181.9%212,879+ 410.3%133BMW 5 Series1,118– 34.5%112,787– 18.1%224Tesla Model 3921n/a49,002+ 1533.8%4n/a5VW ID.4911+ 228.9%191,852+ 376.1%26n/a6Mercedes GLC810– 30.4%75,046+ 8.1%587BMW 6 Series674+ 51.5%53,374– 15.8%11118BMW X3639+ 102.2%n/a3,566– 1.4%10149BMW 3 Series618+ 24.3%123,313– 15.5%13910Lexus ES582– 1.2%94,584– 18.5%6611Volvo XC60517+ 100.4%83,944+ 24.7%81012Mercedes CLE470new112,032new22–13Mercedes GLE443– 43.9%103,901– 7.5%9714BMW X5399+ 7.3%64,042+ 21.3%71215Mercedes S Class391– 47.9%173,314– 58.7%12416Lexus NX390+ 51.2%152,362+ 11.4%192217BMW X4317– 13.2%222,583– 35.0%171318Audi Q4 e-Tron313+ 88.6%202,181+ 1098.4%20n/a19BMW 7 Series292– 31.0%132,629+ 32.4%162120BMW X7264– 31.3%162,640+ 10.2%151821Toyota RAV4263– 7.1%261,881– 2.8%252522Porsche 911235+ 35.1%28971+ 0.7%44n/a23Ford Explorer223n/a301,146– 3.3%35n/a24Porsche Panamera220– 21.1%18867– 38.4%47n/a25BMW X6215– 16.7%212,123– 12.9%211926BMW 4 Series214+ 193.2%461,014+ 42.4%42n/a27Volvo XC40208+ 73.3%241,598+ 18.1%273628Mercedes C Class199– 64.7%273,172– 7.3%141629Porsche Cayenne190– 26.4%142,473– 32.3%181530Audi A6184– 71.4%251,295– 77.6%31531VW Jetta180– 15.9%291,189+ 111.2%34n/a32BMW 1 Series167+ 50.5%32686+ 131.8%52n/a33Toyota Camry165+ 1.2%401,213– 11.2%32n/a34Range Rover159– 4.2%351,062– 43.4%413035Mercedes GLS159+ 98.8%n/a992– 0.5%433936BMW i4154– 33.0%33850– 49.8%493337Volvo S90153– 42.9%371,409– 38.2%292438Lexus UX151+ 179.6%n/a497n/a64n/a39Mini Countryman150– 48.1%391,924+ 10.6%242740VW Tiguan149– 70.6%421,074– 63.6%401741Volvo S60147– 0.7%n/a866– 7.2%48n/a42Audi Q2146+ 421.4%n/a211n/a77n/a43VW Golf142– 9.0%n/a629– 23.0%55n/a44Audi Q8142+ 230.2%41390+ 158.3%69n/a45Lexus RX139– 15.2%381,193+ 57.8%33n/a46Lincoln Nautilus135+ 200.0%47918+ 992.9%46n/a47Mini Cooper Hatch134– 53.0%231,982– 35.5%232048Volvo XC90133– 37.9%361,142– 36.5%362949Honda CR-V132+ 69.2%44676+ 103.6%53n/a50Honda Accord126n/an/a702n/a51n/a

Source: KAIDA