The last time we explored best-selling cars in other countries, we took at look at the Japanese Domestic Market. This time around, me move to one of its neighbors, South Korea.
It probably won’t surprise you that Hyundai and Kia dominate the sales chart over there. South Koreans are fiercely loyal to its home grown brands, as reflected by its top ten sellers.
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It’s worth pointing out that the ranking you’ll see are sales for the month of June 2024. In that month alone, there were 112,100 new cars that joined the streets. Curious to see what their list looks like? Read on.
Genesis GV70 (4,651 units)
Squeaking into tenth place is the lone Genesis in the list. It’s the luxury marque’s midsize crossover, the GV70. Sales went up thanks to the arrival of the facelifted model and becomes South Korea’s best-selling luxury crossover.
Hyundai Avante (4,664 units)
You probably know this car as the Hyundai Elantra. Also refreshed last year, the Avante has the compact sedan market practically to itself this year. The discontinuation of the K3, known here as the Forte, means this sedan’s spot in the list is secure, at least for now.
Hyundai Porter (4,867 units)
If the Philippines has the L300, South Korea has the Porter as the backbone of its fleets, couriers, and business enterprises. The Porter is known here as the H-100, and it saw a major revamp of its powertrain in its home market. It moved from using a diesel engine to a turbo LPG.
Hyundai Santa Fe (5,000 units)
Totally redesigned in 2024, the all-new Santa Fe is off to a good strong start. It’s a massive departure from the past two generations by featuring a boxy exterior and square-themed interior. It was a gamble, but it looks like it’s paying off.
Kia Seltos (5,399 units)
South Korea’s subcompact crossover king is the Seltos, and it’s the first of the Kias in this list. Ever since it was launched, this model has been a consistent best-seller in its home market, so it’s no surprise that it makes an appearance here.
Hyundai Grandeur (5,703 units)
What’s this? A large executive sedan in the top ten? Believe it or not, sedans are still strong sellers in South Korea. That market is still a huge believer in traditional four-doors, and the current-generation Grandeur’s throwback styling has been a hit in the local market. Korean executives can’t get enough of it, as well as a few taxi operators who chose the Grandeur as a premium cab.
Hyundai Sonata (5,712 units)
And the best-selling sedan title in South Korea belongs to the Hyundai Sonata. It barely edges the Grandeur in volume, but the fact that this midsize sedan still ranks highly shows South Korea’s love for sedans. It also helps that it’s a popular fleet car over there, serving as police cars and taxi cabs.
Kia Sportage (5,815 units)
Back to crossovers now, and the next one here is the Kia Sportage. This is a bit of a surprise given that its mechanical twin, the Hyundai Tucson, is a more common sight in other parts of the world. Turns out, more South Koreans go for the Kia over the Hyundai by a long way. The latter doesn’t even appear in the top ten.
Kia Sorento (7,307 units)
It’s a few years old now, but the Kia Sorento continues to be a default choice in the midsize crossover segment in South Korea. It’s far ahead of the Santa Fe, and perhaps the Sorento’s familiarity is the reason why it still outsells its cousin. An all-new model is coming soon, and that’s also expected to stay near the top of the sales chart.
Kia Carnival (8,097 units)
In case you haven’t noticed, the top three spots are taken over by Kia. For June 2024, at least, South Korea’s best-selling car is the Carnival minivan. Its sales boost is helped by a major facelift that was revealed late last year. The addition of a hybrid option further boosted its appeal and made it a choice for those who didn’t want the thirsty V6 or turbodiesel. It also helps that the Carnival is practically the only one of its kind over there.
