The Hyundai Palisade is up to 2nd place overall at home.

141,430 cars hit South Korean roads in May, stable at +0.4% year-on-year. This includes 113,241 local carmakers (-2.9%) and 28,189 foreigners (+16.4%). Hyundai (-5%) and Kia (-2.4%) continue to dominate, adding up to a 66.9% combined market share vs. 69.6% so far this year. Genesis (-6.1%) drops below the 10,000 monthly sales mark for the first time since January but remains a distant #3. Reversing the global trend, it’s a fantastic month for Tesla (+57.7%) up to #4 overall and the best-selling foreign brand. It ranks #8 year-to-date, like last year. Mercedes (+7.9%) and BMW (+2.6%) are solid ahead of Renault Korea (+121%) surging again thanks to the Grand Koleos. Porsche (+205.6%) is also in outstanding shape at #10. Newcomer BYD stays at #17 with 0.4% share while Polestar (+1416.7%) continues to gear up.

Over in the domestic models charts, the Kia Sorento (+3.3%) lodges a 9th consecutive month in the lead, but this time it is threatened by the Hyundai Palisade (+475.4%) shooting up to a record 2nd place just 52 sales below and also reaching an all-time high monthly volume at 7,682. Previous bests for the nameplate were #3 in June 2022 and 6,583 sales in April 2019. The Kia Carnival (-7.8%), Hyundai Avante (+11.1%) and Kia Sportage (-20.3%) all recede one spot on last month to close up the Top 5. The rest of the Top 12 drops by double-digits. 

As for foreign models, the Tesla Model Y (+904.3%) triumphs with over 6,200 sales vs. 2,348 for the #2, the Mercedes E Class (+4.6%). The BMW 5 Series (+45%) completes the podium and is the only additional models to record more than 900 sales. The Mercedes GLE (+47.1%) and BMW X5 (+58.4%) both post splendid scores while the Porsche Cayenne (+402.7%) does even better at #8. The new BYD Atto 3 is inside the Top 10 for the 2nd month running at #9.

Previous month: South Korea April 2025: New gen pushes Hyundai Palisade to #5, Kia EV4 lands

One year ago: South Korea May 2024: Kia Sorento pulls 5th straight win, Hyundai ST1 lands

Full May 2025 Top 32 All brands, Top 57 All local models and Top 50 foreigners below.

South Korea May 2025 – brands:

PosBrandMay-25%/24Apr2025%/24PosFY241Hyundai49,44935.0%– 5.0%1242,17635.6%+ 5.2%112Kia45,12531.9%– 2.4%2230,77434.0%– 0.4%223Genesis9,5176.7%– 6.1%350,6607.5%– 9.0%334Tesla6,5704.6%+ 57.7%812,8351.9%+ 6.2%885Mercedes6,4154.5%+ 7.9%626,5383.9%+ 13.7%556BMW6,4054.5%+ 2.6%431,7274.7%+ 9.6%447Renault Korea4,2023.0%+ 121.0%523,0523.4%+ 151.3%678KG Mobility3,5602.5%– 11.0%715,2902.3%– 23.1%769GM Korea1,3881.0%– 40.7%106,7571.0%– 41.5%9910Porsche1,1920.8%+ 205.6%114,7070.7%+ 42.8%121411Lexus1,1340.8%– 14.0%96,3640.9%+ 18.4%101112Volvo1,1290.8%– 25.5%125,7000.8%– 0.6%111013Audi1,0220.7%+ 23.0%143,8680.6%+ 43.2%131314Toyota7250.5%+ 3.4%133,6910.5%– 4.7%141215Mini5900.4%– 18.3%152,6430.4%– 26.7%151616Volkswagen5330.4%+ 19.8%191,9660.3%– 20.6%181517BYD5130.4%new171,0660.2%new20 –18Polestar4550.3%+ 1416.7%201,1250.2%+ 235.8%192419Ford4020.3%+ 4.4%162,3000.3%+ 41.2%161820Land Rover3700.3%+ 5.4%181,9990.3%+ 27.2%171721Honda1450.1%– 38.3%211,0110.1%+ 0.0%212022Jeep1300.1%– 53.1%226770.1%– 45.0%221923Peugeot1030.1%+ 10.8%243540.1%– 28.5%242324Lincoln970.1%– 59.9%236090.1%– 48.4%232125Cadillac970.1%+ 86.5%252630.0%– 4.4%252526Bentley320.0%– 15.8%32920.0%– 8.0%312727Lamborghini310.0%– 41.5%291580.0%+ 1.9%282628Ferrari280.0%n/a271580.0%n/a27 –29GMC250.0%– 3.8%281070.0%– 19.5%292830Rolls-Royce210.0%+ 16.7%26860.0%+ 14.7%323031Maserati200.0%– 60.8%31970.0%– 24.2%302932Chevrolet50.0%– 93.9%302000.0%– 65.2%2622 –Total local manufacturers113,24180.1%– 2.9% –568,97983.8%+ 1.9% – – –Total foreign manufacturers28,18919.9%+ 16.4% –110,34116.2%+ 10.0% – – –Total market141,430100.0%+ 0.4% –679,320100.0%+ 3.1% – –

South Korea May 2025 – domestic models:

PosModelMay-25/24Apr2025/24PosFY241Kia Sorento7,734+ 3.3%143,206+ 2.2%112Hyundai Palisade7,682+ 475.4%525,327+ 175.2%7223Kia Carnival6,651– 7.8%235,755– 2.8%224Hyundai Avante6,438+ 11.1%332,125+ 42.7%395Kia Sportage5,295– 20.3%431,730– 5.2%446Hyundai Santa Fe4,969– 11.3%626,809– 22.9%637Hyundai Grandeur4,597– 33.2%728,080+ 1.5%558Hyundai Porter4,498– 35.6%824,027– 25.2%869Kia Seltos4,257– 30.4%1023,815+ 0.0%9710Hyundai Sonata4,134– 29.0%1121,629+ 31.0%11811Hyundai Tucson4,088– 15.5%922,218+ 6.6%101012Kia Ray4,000– 10.2%1421,009– 3.2%121113Genesis G803,712+ 1.8%1318,657– 9.7%141214Renault Korea Grand Koleos3,296new1219,012new132115Hyundai Staria3,282+ 19.6%1516,215– 2.2%151416Kia K53,028+ 25.9%1614,558– 5.8%171817Kia Bongo2,629– 35.1%1715,051– 21.6%161518Kia K82,627+ 40.3%2212,651+ 15.4%201919Genesis GV702,435+ 17.9%1814,122+ 56.7%181720Genesis GV802,354– 28.9%2013,543– 35.4%191621Hyundai Kona1,922– 30.7%2111,888+ 1.7%212022Kia EV31,866new1910,641new222823Kia Morning1,527+ 68.4%285,383– 11.7%252424Kia EV41,373new312,204new36 –25Kia Tasman1,348new262,692new33 –26Kia Niro1,310– 26.2%235,627– 20.0%242527Hyundai Ioniq 51,255– 21.1%245,380+ 1.6%262628KGM Musso EV1,167new352,412new34 –29Hyundai Venue1,157+ 91.9%343,891+ 113.0%303930Chevrolet Trax Crossover1,122– 39.1%275,371– 38.7%272331Kia EV6957– 30.7%324,081+ 5.3%283132Hyundai Ioniq 9867new292,841new32 –33KGM Torres762– 50.9%303,935– 44.3%292734Hyundai Ioniq 6754+ 100.0%362,280+ 24.2%353835Genesis G90736– 15.0%333,264– 13.7%313336Hyundai Casper687– 82.2%256,386– 62.4%231337Renault Korea Arkana461– 51.2%381,801– 62.8%393238KGM Tivoli452– 5.4%391,993– 28.1%373539KGM Musso Sports405new371,253new42 –40Renault Korea QM6390– 48.7%401,976– 47.0%383441KGM Musso Khan341new41913new44 –42Chevrolet Trailblazer257– 30.2%441,226– 40.8%434043KGM Actyon198new421,599new403744Kia EV9178– 2.2%45655– 41.1%494545Genesis G70169+ 8.3%43792– 22.7%464246Hyundai ST1114+ 375.0%49546+ 2175.0%504947Genesis GV60111+ 26.1%47282+ 8.0%525148Kia K9109– 61.3%46769– 26.1%474449KGM Rexton94– 57.3%48527– 43.0%514650KGM Torres EVX90– 86.9%51880– 73.5%453651KGM Korando50– 43.8%52241– 51.6%534752Renault Korea Master38– 74.8%54121– 19.9%555353Hyundai Nexo22– 93.0%50675– 42.3%484154Renault Korea SM617– 62.2%53142– 68.2%545055Chevrolet Equinox5n/a –5– 58.3%615856Chevrolet Colorado4n/a5551– 28.2%565257KGM Korando EV1new5611new6056

South Korea May 2025 – foreign models:

PosModelMay-25/24Apr2025/24PosFY241Tesla Model Y6,237+ 904.3%39,259+ 39.5%332Mercedes E Class2,348+ 4.6%110,959+ 70.2%113BMW 5 Series2,092+ 45.0%29,703+ 14.8%224Mercedes GLC896– 0.1%223,249+ 17.2%555Mercedes GLE696+ 47.1%92,457– 0.9%9116BMW X5591+ 58.4%52,657+ 6.8%877BMW X3555– 14.5%112,723+ 17.7%7128Porsche Cayenne553+ 402.7%81,893+ 4.1%15199BYD Atto 3513new71,066new27 –10BMW 3 Series507+ 6.3%102,252+ 23.8%101011Volvo XC60482– 15.9%142,218– 1.3%11812Mercedes G Class481+ 130.1%181,572+ 118.6%182613Lexus ES421– 22.5%62,825– 4.6%6614BMW 7 Series412+ 26.0%152,147+ 38.9%121515Mercedes C Class411+ 79.5%251,333– 48.1%231816Lexus NX403– 26.7%131,930+ 60.8%141617BMW X7385+ 23.0%122,052+ 21.1%131418Mercedes S Class369– 20.8%211,780– 12.2%16919Tesla Model 3330– 90.7%43,421– 35.1%4420Mercedes CLE329+ 31.6%241,492+ 97.6%192521BMW X6308+ 34.5%161,661+ 25.6%172022Mini Cooper Hatch305– 39.8%171,370+ 8.5%222123Audi Q4 e-Tron303+ 5.2%511,164+ 4.6%242224BMW X4298– 11.6%201,454– 13.2%211725Polestar 4292new33952new31n/a26VW ID.5288newn/an/anewn/an/a27Ford Explorer231+ 39.2%191,483+ 157.0%204028Audi A6229– 20.2%23960+ 65.2%303729Porsche Panamera226+ 343.1%291,120+ 622.6%254330Volvo XC40215– 25.6%271,105+ 22.8%262831Toyota RAV4189– 17.1%31703– 39.7%382332BMW 4 Series186+ 36.8%30867+ 57.1%333833Mercedes GLB181– 3.7%n/a477– 28.5%45n/a34BMW X1177+ 28.3%261,063+ 28.2%283235Mercedes A Class174– 35.3%44681– 47.7%392936Lexus RX166+ 5.1%32798+ 4.7%353637Porsche Macan165n/an/a444+ 132.5%46n/a38Polestar 2163+ 443.3%n/a173– 31.3%n/an/a39Audi Q3155+ 520.0%40372+ 509.8%n/an/a40Volvo EX30149newn/a807new34 –41Toyota Camry148– 16.9%281,012+ 31.9%293142BMW i5139– 16.8%34660– 25.7%415143Audi A3136n/an/an/an/an/an/a44Mercedes GLS133+ 146.3%38672+ 20.9%404445Porsche Taycan124n/a36760+ 196.9%364746Volvo S90120– 41.2%n/a499– 44.4%443047Toyota Alphard113+ 145.7%35561+ 151.6%43n/a48Mini Countryman112– 61.1%42739– 48.6%372449Porsche 911109– 9.2%48299– 37.1%n/a5250VW ID.4108+ 61.2%52919+ 56.8%3227

Source: KAIDA