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.