The graph features Hyundai, Kia, other local manufacturers and import brands. The numbers on the left of the chart are in thousands so just add three zeros.
Hyundai is the leader and hovers around the 600,000 mark. The best selling model in 2023 was the Grandeur at 113,000 units, nearly four times more than all import brands combined!
Kia is next with a very consistent sales level. That's in the 530,000 region and its top selling model was the Sorrento at nearly 86,000.
The 'Other Korea' category is comprised of KG Mobility (formerly Ssangyong), Renault Korea (formerly Samsung) and GM Korea (formally Daewoo). Two of those names sound suspiciously foreign so why are they not classed as such?
I'm glad you asked. Both basically sell only locally designed and made products. GM Korea does have a few import models but they sell in miniscule numbers.
On to 'All Import Brands'. They currently cover Ford, GMC, Honda, Jeep, Peugeot, Renault (separate to Renault Korea), Toyota and VW. Those that have dropped out from 2015 are Chrysler, Citroën, Fiat and Nissan. Collectively, they have dropped from 75,600 sales in 2015 to 30,600 in 2023.
Summary. Choice in the mainstream area of the market is increasingly down to just two brands. If those two brands had one of their columns stacked on top of the other, the chart would have to be twice as high and the rest shrunk down to half of what you see now.
So Korean brands enjoy unfettered access to many markets they all but shut out in return for mainstream cars. I assume the reason is to support the economy in South Korea. I guess the moot point is whether it's necessary anymore.
Pictured are the KG Mobility Torres above and the GM Korea Trax below. In 2023 they reached 37,000 and 23,650 sales respectively.
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