KIA saw its Sorento model surge back to the forefront, selling 6,628 units and reclaiming its position as the best-selling car. This marks a significant achievement for KIA, which remained in second place overall for the second consecutive month with 38,269 units sold—a 13.8% decrease from last year. The Sorento’s return to the top underscores its enduring appeal in the competitive SUV segment.
Hyundai Grandeur: Solid Performance Secures Second Place
Hyundai Motor Company’s Grandeur secured the second spot with 6,120 units sold. Although this represents a 25% decrease from the previous year, the Grandeur continues to demonstrate strong market performance. Hyundai’s overall sales were 45,167 units, slightly down by 0.5% year-over-year. Notably, Hyundai has outpaced KIA by about 7,000 units this year, maintaining its lead in the domestic market.
Hyundai Santa Fe: Climbing Back to Third Position
The newly redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe made a notable comeback, securing the third position with 5,314 units sold. While it didn’t surpass its main competitor, the Sorento, the Santa Fe became the second-best-selling SUV domestically. Its spacious interior and bold design have resonated with consumers, even amid initial design controversies.
Other Hyundai Models Show Mixed Results
The Sonata maintained strong sales with 4,890 units, ranking fifth overall. Although it saw a slight dip after topping the charts in August, the model continues to perform well, bolstered by the popularity of its Chinese taxi variants, which sold 1,551 units. The proportion of taxi models decreased to 31.7% last month, indicating renewed strength in passenger car sales.
Electric vehicle sales present a concern for Hyundai. The IONIQ 5 recorded its lowest sales since March, with only 1,172 units sold. The Porter 2 Electric also saw sluggish sales at 986 units. The Casper Electric remains a bright spot, selling 2,075 units.
KIA Faces Declines in Multiple Segments
While the Sorento, K8 or Carnival shines, several KIA models experienced significant sales declines:
• Morning: Down 48.5%
• Niro: Down 51.1%
• EV6: Down 46.1%
• EV9: Down 89.5%
• Sportage: Down 15.9%
The newly launched electric SUV EV3 started strong with 4,002 units in August but dropped to 2,022 units last month. With a general decline in electric vehicle demand, it’s crucial to monitor whether the EV3 can maintain steady sales.
Genesis Brand Continues to Excel
The Genesis brand exceeded 10,000 units in monthly sales for the 11th consecutive month, achieving 16,638 units last month. The G80 led with 3,898 units, followed by the GV70 facelift at 3,343 units, and the GV80 with 2,610 units—a 73.2% increase. These models have been praised for maintaining their acclaimed designs while enhancing product quality and interior features.
Conversely, the G70 and GV60 struggled, selling only 202 and 34 units respectively. Despite these underperforming models, Genesis’s strong lineup ensures its continued success.
