The Tesla Model Y is the best-selling vehicle in South Korea in May.

New car sales in South Korea stumble -10.2% year-on-year in May to just 126,955 units. However it would have been worse without the help of foreign manufacturers, up 5.9% to 23.5% share whereas domestics ones drop -14.3% to 76.5% of their home market. Year-to-date, the market is now up just 1% to 686,008 units including 540,054 domestic manufacturers (-5.1%) and 145,954 foreigners (+32.3%).

Kia (-0.9%) celebrates 5 consecutive months at #1 with 35.2% share, confirming its newfound dominance over sister brand Hyundai (-20.7%) at only 30.9%. Kia now has a whopping 22,105-unit advantage over Hyundai year-to-date. Tesla (+65.4%) continues to stun, selling over 10,000 units for the third month in a row. BMW (+2.3%) passes a freefalling Genesis (-35.3%) for fourth place. Audi (+47.7%) and Lexus (+13.8%) defy the negative market with splendid YoY gains. BYD (+101.2%) slides outside the Top 10 at #12 but still doubles its sales year-on-year.

Looking at domestic models, the Kia Sorento (+1.3%) delivers an 8th win in the past 9 months, outselling the Hyundai Grandeur (+12.7%) like last month. The Kia Sportage (-10.1%) matches the market and is back up three spots on last month to #3, whereas the Kia Carnival (-31.7%) and Hyundai Avante (-29.7%) both implode. Excellent performance by the Kia EV3 (+61.9%), lodging a 4th straight Top 10 finish. The new Renault Korea Filante seems to have already peaked, down 9 ranks on last month to #31.

As for foreign nameplates, the Tesla Model Y (+40.5%) delivers a historic result: at 8,762 sales it is simply #1 in the overall market including domestic models. It is simply the first time we have ever seen a foreign model top the South Korean charts. Ever (at least since Korean manufacturers were born). The BMW 5 Series (-1.5%) is back above the Tesla Model 3 (+294.2%) with the Mercedes E Class (-45.3%) and BMW X3 (+33.9%) rounding out the Top 5. At #6, the new BYD Sealion 7 manages a 9th straight Top 10 finish.

Previous month: South Korea April 2026: Tesla and BYD break records

One year ago: South Korea May 2025: Hyundai Palisade breaks records in stable market

Full May 2026 Top 30 All brands, Top 55 All domestic models and Top 50 foreign models below.

South Korea May 2026 – brands:

PosBrandMay-26%/25Apr2026%/25PosFY251Kia44,72735.2%– 0.9%1241,49835.2%+ 4.6%122Hyundai39,20330.9%– 20.7%2219,39332.0%– 9.4%213Tesla10,8668.6%+ 65.4%345,0206.6%+ 250.8%364BMW6,5555.2%+ 2.3%532,5814.7%+ 2.7%545Genesis6,1614.9%– 35.3%439,0885.7%– 22.8%436Mercedes3,5532.8%– 44.6%624,2113.5%– 8.8%657KGM3,3182.6%– 6.8%818,1702.6%+ 18.8%788Renault Korea2,8932.3%– 31.2%717,7872.6%– 22.8%879Audi1,5091.2%+ 47.7%125,5650.8%+ 43.9%121210Lexus1,2911.0%+ 13.8%116,1250.9%– 3.8%101011Volvo1,0580.8%– 6.3%105,7910.8%+ 1.6%11912BYD1,0320.8%+ 101.2%97,0231.0%+ 558.8%91613Porsche8200.6%– 31.2%163,6060.5%– 23.4%151314Toyota8040.6%+ 10.9%133,7860.6%+ 2.6%141415GM Korea7930.6%– 42.9%144,1180.6%– 39.1%131116Mini6040.5%+ 2.4%153,2550.5%+ 23.2%161517Volkswagen4510.4%– 15.4%182,2020.3%+ 12.0%171818Land Rover4240.3%+ 14.6%192,0340.3%+ 1.8%181719Polestar3500.3%– 23.1%171,9790.3%+ 75.9%192020Lincoln850.1%– 12.4%202630.0%– 56.8%242321Honda750.1%– 48.3%243520.1%– 65.2%222222Lamborghini710.1%+ 129.0%271510.0%– 4.4%282623GMC520.0%+ 108.0%224100.1%+ 283.2%213024Jeep520.0%– 60.0%214750.1%– 29.8%202125Cadillac510.0%– 47.4%232660.0%+ 1.1%232526Peugeot510.0%– 50.5%282630.0%– 25.7%252427Ford410.0%– 89.8%252610.0%– 88.7%261928Bentley300.0%– 6.3%261690.0%+ 83.7%272729Ferrari200.0%– 28.6%29950.0%– 39.9%292830Rolls-Royce150.0%– 28.6%30710.0%– 17.4%3031 –Total local manufacturers97,09576.5%– 14.3% –540,05478.7%– 5.1% – – –Total foreign manufacturers29,86023.5%+ 5.9% –145,95421.3%+ 32.3% – – –Total market126,955100.0%– 10.2% –686,008100.0%+ 1.0% – –

South Korea May 2026 – domestic models:

PosModelMay-26/25Apr2026/25PosFY251Kia Sorento7,836+ 1.3%146,865+ 8.5%112Hyundai Grandeur5,183+ 12.7%228,328+ 0.9%253Kia Sportage4,760– 10.1%625,087– 20.9%444Kia Carnival4,543– 31.7%523,935– 33.1%635Hyundai Avante4,526– 29.7%424,352– 24.2%526Hyundai Sonata4,118– 0.4%325,237+ 16.7%3117Kia Ray3,419– 14.5%720,221– 3.8%8128Hyundai Porter3,375– 25.0%822,127– 7.9%789Kia Seltos3,169– 25.6%1216,860– 29.2%10910Kia EV33,021+ 61.9%1015,593+ 46.5%122211Hyundai Santa Fe2,862– 42.4%916,443– 38.7%11712Kia Bongo2,644+ 0.6%1413,884– 7.8%161713Kia EV52,581new1512,773new174914Hyundai Ioniq 52,575+ 105.2%2510,200+ 89.6%222615Kia PV52,303new2112,651new184516Kia K52,237– 26.1%2012,597– 13.5%191617Kia Morning2,234+ 46.3%1610,076+ 87.2%232518Genesis G802,220– 40.2%1913,984– 25.0%151319Hyundai Bus/Truck2,216+ 54.7%268,157+ 26.5%272320Hyundai Tucson2,183– 46.6%1117,197– 22.6%91021Hyundai Kona2,095+ 9.0%1814,797+ 24.5%141922Hyundai Staria1,912– 41.7%1711,857– 26.9%201523Hyundai Palisade1,825– 76.2%1315,456– 39.0%13624Genesis GV701,798– 26.2%2311,639– 17.6%211825Kia K81,752– 33.3%288,984– 29.0%252126Genesis GV801,547– 34.3%249,853– 27.2%242027Hyundai Casper1,536+ 123.6%326,781+ 6.2%292428Hyundai Ioniq 91,482+ 70.9%315,921+ 108.4%333329Kia Niro1,355+ 3.4%306,581+ 17.0%322730Renault Korea Grand Koleos1,248– 62.1%277,206– 62.1%281431Renault Korea Filante1,201new228,300new26 –32Kia EV41,196– 12.9%296,707+ 204.3%303433KGM Musso1,137+ 180.7%336,642+ 430.1%314434Hyundai Ioniq 61,049+ 39.1%394,202+ 84.3%364235Kia EV6905– 5.4%344,477+ 9.7%343036Hyundai Venue903– 22.0%354,455+ 14.5%352837KGM Musso EV755– 35.3%363,718+ 54.1%373738Chevrolet Trax Crossover648– 42.2%373,364– 37.4%382939KGM Tivoli548+ 21.2%412,322+ 16.5%424140KGM Actyon468+ 136.4%382,807+ 75.5%393541Renault Korea Arkana444– 3.7%441,923+ 6.8%434042Genesis G90405– 45.0%422,447– 25.0%403643Hyundai Nexo338+ 1436.4%402,356+ 249.0%413944Kia EV9263+ 47.8%431,160+ 77.1%465345Kia Tasman250– 81.5%461,656– 38.5%453246KGM Torres183– 76.0%451,757– 55.3%443147Chevrolet Trailblazer143– 44.4%48735– 40.0%484848Kia K9141+ 29.4%50595– 22.6%505449Hyundai ST1130+ 14.0%49632+ 15.8%495550Genesis GV60129+ 16.2%51451+ 59.9%545851KGM Rexton New Arena128+ 36.2%52463– 12.1%525752Kia Bus/Special118+ 3.5%47796+ 34.0%474653KGM Torres EVX99+ 10.0%53459– 47.8%535254Genesis G7052– 69.2%54557– 29.7%515055Genesis GV60 Magma10new5541new56 –

South Korea May 2026 – foreign models:

PosModelMay-26/25Apr2026/25PosFY251Tesla Model Y8,762+ 40.5%134,171+ 269.1%112BMW 5 Series2,060– 1.5%39,571– 1.4%333Tesla Model 31,301+ 294.2%28,447+ 146.9%454Mercedes E Class1,285– 45.3%49,815– 10.4%225BMW X3743+ 33.9%63,408+ 25.2%686BYD Sealion 7655new93,360new7257Audi A6615+ 168.6%n/a681– 29.1%41508Lexus ES572+ 35.9%202,127– 24.7%1379Mercedes GLC560– 37.5%103,470+ 6.8%5410BMW X5542– 8.3%112,942+ 10.7%91011BMW 3 Series534+ 5.3%122,770+ 23.0%10912Tesla Model X508+ 25300.0%141,619+ 20137.5%18n/a13Mercedes GLE433– 37.8%83,046+ 24.0%8614Lexus NX419+ 4.0%182,263+ 17.3%111815BMW 7 Series373– 9.5%132,248+ 4.7%121316Audi Q4 e-Tron361+ 19.1%171,347+ 15.7%252317BMW X7355– 7.8%151,936– 5.7%161418Polestar 4350+ 19.9%71,977+ 107.7%152619Volvo XC60336– 30.3%192,080– 6.2%141120Audi Q5332n/a261,364n/a23n/a21Volvo EX30317+ 112.8%42685– 15.1%404722Mercedes G Class301– 37.4%241,017– 35.3%282123Porsche Cayenne286– 48.3%28908– 52.0%331724BMW X6282– 8.4%271,383– 16.7%211925Mini Cooper Hatch267– 12.5%221,604+ 17.1%191526BMW i5234+ 68.3%211,381+ 109.2%223627Mercedes CLE211– 35.9%231,356– 9.1%242028VW ID.4209+ 93.5%321,002+ 9.0%304329Mercedes S Class204– 44.7%251,547– 13.1%201230Lexus RX200+ 20.5%301,026+ 28.6%273331Porsche Macan EV197+ 19.4%480– 100.0%n/a4132Toyota Alphard181+ 60.2%36725+ 29.2%364233Toyota Camry180+ 21.6%291,013+ 0.1%293134BMW X1176– 0.6%33903– 15.1%352835Tesla Model S170+ 16900.0%n/a611+ 3115.8%44n/a36Toyota Crown161+ 75.0%47562+ 97.2%47n/a37BYD Dolphin150new51,677new17 –38Toyota Prius144+ 45.5%40554+ 65.9%48n/a39VW Golf136+ 70.0%37628+ 271.6%43n/a40BMW iX1134+ 211.6%440– 100.0%n/an/a41Volvo XC90134+ 61.4%34907+ 91.4%343842BMW X4130– 56.4%35976– 32.9%321643BMW 4 Series128– 31.2%38724– 16.5%373244BYD Seal128new31702new38n/a45Land Rover Defender128n/an/a570+ 64.3%454946Mercedes GLS128– 3.8%n/a314– 53.3%n/a3747Porsche Taycan125+ 0.8%39999+ 31.4%313548Tesla Cybertruck125newn/a130newn/an/a49Mini Countryman122+ 8.9%410– 100.0%n/a4050Mercedes EQB120+ 1900.0%46569+ 1164.4%46n/a

Source: KAIDA