South Korea December 2011: Kia Ray directly #12, Hyundai i30 up Full Year 2011: Hyundai Avante and Kia Morning dominate
Kia Ray
* NOW UPDATED with the Top 10 Imports: click on title to see! *
A record 105,037 import models were sold in South Korea, up 16% on 2010 on the back of a new free trade pact with the European Union and increased demand for luxury brands. Imports are classified by version, not model, which artificially brings them down the rankings. The Mercedes E300 CDi comes at #1 with over 7,000 sales, followed by the BMW 520d and 528i. This means the BMW 5 Series would rank at least #27 in the overall model ranking with over 12,000 units.
* See the Top 40 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *
129,497 local cars were registered in South Korea in December, bringing the full year 2011 total to 1,484,082. The big event in December is the arrival directly in 12th position of the all-new Kia Ray with 4,107 sales and 3.2% share. Koreans have a taste for that type of car, having ‘invented’ the similarly sized Daewoo Matiz and Hyundai Atos to tremendous success locally at the end of the nineties…
Hyundai i30
Another December highlight is the progression to #25 (+18 on November) of the 2nd generation Hyundai i30, much more modern in her new robe. Hyundai monopolises the podium again with the Avante, Sonata and Porter in the lead while the Chevrolet Malibu is down to #26 with 1,333 sales.
Hyundai Avante
Over the Full Year 2011, the Hyundai Avante is the best-selling model in South Korea with 131,016 sales and 8.8%, it was #1 9 times out of 12 this year. Boosted by the arrival of the new generation pushing it to #1 in February, the Kia Morning finishes the year in 2nd place at 117,029 units and 7.9%.
Kia Morning
Four Hyundais follow: the Grandeur probably has the nameplate’s best year in South Korea at #3 and 107,652 sales, ranking #1 in April and May and ahead of its little sister the Sonata, #4 at 102,947 units, and the Porter at 99,466 sales. Another Kia, the K5 ranks 6th.
Hyundai Grandeur
2011 also marks the morphing of all Daewoos into Chevrolets, with the Chevrolet Spark #7, the Chevrolet Cruze #17 and the Chevrolet Orlando landing at #22.
Previous month: South Korea November 2011: Chevrolet Malibu almost in Top 20
Previous year: South Korea 2010: Hyundai Sonata and Avante shine
December 2011 Top 40 and Full Year 2011 Top 35 Ranking Tables below.
South Korea December 2011:
| Pos | Model | Dec | % | Nov | 2011 | % | Pos |
| 1 | Hyundai Avante | 10,500 | 8.1% | 1 | 131,016 | 8.8% | 1 |
| 2 | Hyundai Sonata | 9,160 | 7.1% | 2 | 102,947 | 6.9% | 4 |
| 3 | Hyundai Porter | 8,371 | 6.5% | 3 | 99,466 | 6.7% | 5 |
| 4 | Kia Morning | 8,142 | 6.3% | 4 | 117,029 | 7.9% | 2 |
| 5 | Hyundai Grandeur | 7,817 | 6.0% | 5 | 107,652 | 7.3% | 3 |
| 6 | Kia K5 | 7,725 | 6.0% | 6 | 87,452 | 5.9% | 6 |
| 7 | Chevrolet Spark | 5,583 | 4.3% | 8 | 63,963 | 4.3% | 7 |
| 8 | Hyundai Grand Starex | 5,164 | 4.0% | 9 | 53,256 | 3.6% | 8 |
| 9 | Kia Bongo | 5,031 | 3.9% | 7 | 52,864 | 3.6% | 9 |
| 10 | Kia Sportage R | 4,799 | 3.7% | 10 | 52,016 | 3.5% | 10 |
| 11 | Samsung SM5 | 4,178 | 3.2% | 11 | 50,001 | 3.4% | 11 |
| 12 | Kia Ray | 4,107 | 3.2% | - | 4,107 | 0.3% | 38 |
| 13 | Hyundai Tucson ix | 3,776 | 2.9% | 12 | 43,198 | 2.9% | 12 |
| 14 | Kia Sorento R | 3,644 | 2.8% | 13 | 40,602 | 2.7% | 13 |
| 15 | Samsung SM3 | 2,967 | 2.3% | 15 | 34,581 | 2.3% | 14 |
| 16 | Kia Carnival R | 2,469 | 1.9% | 16 | 27,091 | 1.8% | 16 |
| 17 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 2,369 | 1.8% | 18 | 26,077 | 1.8% | 18 |
| 18 | Hyundai Genesis | 2,229 | 1.7% | 23 | 23,116 | 1.6% | 21 |
| 19 | Kia K7 | 2,157 | 1.7% | 20 | 23,708 | 1.6% | 20 |
| 20 | Chevrolet Orlando | 2,143 | 1.7% | 22 | 17,237 | 1.2% | 22 |
| 21 | Chevrolet Cruze | 2,103 | 1.6% | 24 | 26,987 | 1.8% | 17 |
| 22 | Kia Pride | 2,052 | 1.6% | 19 | 15,585 | 1.1% | 25 |
| 23 | Hyundai Accent | 1,964 | 1.5% | 17 | 23,946 | 1.6% | 19 |
| 24 | Kia Forte | 1,761 | 1.4% | 14 | 34,389 | 2.3% | 15 |
| 25 | Hyundai i30 | 1,599 | 1.2% | 43 | 3,687 | 0.2% | 39 |
| 26 | Chevrolet Malibu | 1,333 | 1.0% | 21 | 3,049 | 0.2% | 40 |
| 27 | SsangYong Korando C | 1,223 | 0.9% | 28 | 10,615 | 0.7% | 29 |
| 28 | Samsung SM7 | 1,133 | 0.9% | 29 | 17,022 | 1.1% | 23 |
| 29 | Hyundai Equus | 1,089 | 0.8% | 30 | 13,508 | 0.9% | 26 |
| 30 | Daewoo Alpheon | 1,013 | 0.8% | 32 | 10,292 | 0.7% | 30 |
| 31 | Kia Soul | 938 | 0.7% | 25 | 16,792 | 1.1% | 24 |
| 32 | Kia Mohave | 863 | 0.7% | 35 | 7,656 | 0.5% | 32 |
| 33 | SsangYong Rexton | 722 | 0.6% | 34 | 8,357 | 0.6% | 31 |
| 34 | Hyundai Veracruz | 706 | 0.5% | 31 | 7,539 | 0.5% | 35 |
| 35 | SsangYong Actyon Sports | 657 | 0.5% | 27 | 10,905 | 0.7% | 28 |
| 36 | Kia Opirus | 627 | 0.5% | 38 | 5,600 | 0.4% | 36 |
| 37 | Samsung QM5 | 548 | 0.4% | 37 | 7,618 | 0.5% | 33 |
| 38 | Daewoo Damas | 539 | 0.4% | 36 | 7,559 | 0.5% | 34 |
| 39 | Hyundai Veloster | 530 | 0.4% | 26 | 10,987 | 0.7% | 27 |
| 40 | Daewoo Labo | 405 | 0.3% | 41 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
South Korea Full Year 2011:
| Pos | Model | 2011 | % |
| 1 | Hyundai Avante | 131,016 | 8.8% |
| 2 | Kia Morning | 117,029 | 7.9% |
| 3 | Hyundai Grandeur | 107,652 | 7.3% |
| 4 | Hyundai Sonata | 102,947 | 6.9% |
| 5 | Hyundai Porter | 99,466 | 6.7% |
| 6 | Kia K5 | 87,452 | 5.9% |
| 7 | Chevrolet Spark | 63,963 | 4.3% |
| 8 | Hyundai Grand Starex | 53,256 | 3.6% |
| 9 | Kia Bongo | 52,864 | 3.6% |
| 10 | Kia Sportage R | 52,016 | 3.5% |
| 11 | Samsung SM5 | 50,001 | 3.4% |
| 12 | Hyundai Tucson ix | 43,198 | 2.9% |
| 13 | Kia Sorento R | 40,602 | 2.7% |
| 14 | Samsung SM3 | 34,581 | 2.3% |
| 15 | Kia Forte | 34,389 | 2.3% |
| 16 | Kia Carnival R | 27,091 | 1.8% |
| 17 | Chevrolet Cruze | 26,987 | 1.8% |
| 18 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 26,077 | 1.8% |
| 19 | Hyundai Accent | 23,946 | 1.6% |
| 20 | Kia K7 | 23,708 | 1.6% |
| 21 | Hyundai Genesis | 23,116 | 1.6% |
| 22 | Chevrolet Orlando | 17,237 | 1.2% |
| 23 | Samsung SM7 | 17,022 | 1.1% |
| 24 | Kia Soul | 16,792 | 1.1% |
| 25 | Kia Pride | 15,585 | 1.1% |
| 26 | Hyundai Equus | 13,508 | 0.9% |
| 27 | Hyundai Veloster | 10,987 | 0.7% |
| 28 | SsangYong Actyon Sports | 10,905 | 0.7% |
| 29 | SsangYong Korando C | 10,615 | 0.7% |
| 30 | Daewoo Alpheon | 10,292 | 0.7% |
| 31 | SsangYong Rexton | 8,357 | 0.6% |
| 32 | Kia Mohave | 7,656 | 0.5% |
| 33 | Samsung QM5 | 7,618 | 0.5% |
| 34 | Daewoo Damas | 7,559 | 0.5% |
| 35 | Hyundai Veracruz | 7,539 | 0.5% |
Source: www.autoweek.nl, www.bobaedream.co.kr
Note: these rankings exclude imports.
South Korea Imports Full Year 2011:
| Pos | Model | 2011 | % |
| 1 | Mercedes E300 CDi | 7,019 | 6.7% |
| 2 | BMW 520d | 6,211 | 5.9% |
| 3 | BMW 528i | 5,940 | 5.7% |
| 4 | Mercedes C200 | 2,374 | 2.3% |
| 5 | VW Golf 2.0 TDI | 2,271 | 2.2% |
| 6 | Nissan Cube | 2,256 | 2.1% |
| 7 | Audi A4 2.0 TFSI Quattro | 2,201 | 2.1% |
| 8 | VW CC 2.0 TDI BlueMotion | 2,121 | 2.0% |
| 9 | Toyota Camry V6 | 2,020 | 1.9% |
| 10 | Toyota Prius HSD | 1,952 | 1.9% |
Source: Korea Automobile Importers and Distribution Association
@NismoBoy: well Txnks very much
@Sandeep
http://www.bobaedream.co.kr – here, you can consult the monthly top 10 foreigner sales by model. However, I don´t have neither the accumulative figures by model nor the volume sales by maker.
NismoBoy: do you know South Korean imported sale?? please tell here the rank or give the site from where you know that
Kia Ray seems to be a copy from the Nissan Cube! And make sense since Cube was the best selling foreigner car last month (735 units).