Kia Overtakes Hyundai in October Domestic Sales
Kia surpassed Hyundai Motor in South Korea's domestic market in October, selling 51,007 units to Hyundai's 49,042. The two brands combined held a 94.8% market share as overall domestic sales rose 3%.
Kia surpassed Hyundai Motor in domestic sales for October, overtaking its sister brand by about 1,965 units. The combined sales of Hyundai Motor and Kia reached 100,049 units, representing a dominant 94.8% of the total domestic market, which saw a 3% increase for the month.
Kia's Strong Performance
Kia sold 51,007 units domestically in October, a sharp 27.5% increase compared to the same month last year. The brand's performance was driven by robust recreational vehicle (RV) sales and demand for new models. RVs accounted for 67.4% of Kia’s domestic sales, totaling 34,373 units.
Kia's top-selling models for the month were led by the Sportage SUV.
| Model | Units Sold |
|---|---|
| Sportage | 7,708 |
| Sorento | 6,784 |
| Carnival | 5,570 |
| Seltos | 4,816 |
Hyundai's Decline
Hyundai Motor sold 49,042 units domestically in October. The Grandeur sedan was its best-selling model, with 6,989 units sold. The company's sedan sales totaled 17,228 units, which included 5,730 units of the Avante and 3,894 units of the Sonata.
Hyundai's RV sales totaled 15,673 units. Key contributors included the Palisade, Kona, and Santa Fe.
| Model | Units Sold |
|---|---|
| Palisade | 3,322 |
| Kona | 2,605 |
| Santa Fe | 2,469 |
Industry Context
The total domestic sales volume for South Korea's five major automakers in October was 105,588 units, a 3.1% increase from the previous year. Beyond the market leaders, the three mid-sized automakers-Renault Korea, KGM, and GM Korea-combined for 5,539 units, holding a 5.2% market share.
Renault Korea sold 2,703 units, an 18.1% increase from the previous month. Its top sellers were the Arkana, Grand Koleos, and Philant. KGM’s domestic sales dropped to 2,037 units, a significant fall from the 3,637 units it sold in June. The company aims to recover through discounts and test drive events while expanding overseas sales via knock-down business in emerging markets. GM Korea’s domestic sales fell to 799 units, the only automaker below 1,000. However, its exports surged 28.5% year-on-year to 49,390 units, driven by the Trax Crossover and Trailblazer, making exports 98.4% of its total October sales.
The Genesis brand sold 5,942 units in October. The G80 led with 2,124 units, followed by the GV80 with 1,814 and the GV70 with 1,463. Hyundai Motor stated it aims to strengthen its mid- to long-term competitiveness through production efficiency and sales of new vehicles like the Tucson and GV80 Hybrid. The company said it will respond flexibly to demand changes through a product portfolio optimized for various powertrains and regional conditions.
