South Korea September 2014: New Kia Sorento shoots up to #3

Kia Sorento

* See the Top 52 All-local models and Top 5 brands by clicking on the title! *

Sales of new local models in South Korea are up a very solid 10% year-on-year in South Korea to 110,660 registrations, bringing the year-to-date total to 1.051.305 units, up 4% on 2013. Brand-wise, Hyundai is losing ground against its brother company Kia at +3% year-on-year to 47,789 sales vs. +20% to 38,605 for Kia. Chevrolet is stable and therefore losng over one percentage point of market share (from 13.1% in September 2013 to 11,9% this month), Renault Samsung is up 20% and SsangYong up 15%.

Kia Carnival

The Hyundai Avante keeps the lead at home for the second straight month thanks to 8,738 sales and 7.9% share, while the year-to-date leader the Hyundai Sonata is #2 once again at 8,287 units and 7.5%, But the big event in September is the third position of the new generation Kia Sorento, by far the nameplate’s best ranking since BSCB started following South Korea monthly in 2010 and its first time in the Top 10 since August 2013. It sells 6,908 units for a 6.2% market share vs. 2% and #17 year-to-date. Although extremely impressive, this surge should flatten out in the next couple of month as the novelty effect wears out, in line with the progression of the new generation Kia Carnival, #2 last July but down to #10 this month.

Notice also the Samsung SM5 up 3 ranks on August to #14 with 2,514 sales, the Chevrolet Malibu up 10 spots to #16 and the Samsung QM3 (aka Renault Captur) back up 20 ranks to #30.

Previous post: South Korea July 2014: Now with all-models and all-brands!

Previous month: South Korea August 2014: Hyundai Avante #1, Kia Sorento up

One year ago: South Korea September 2013: Hyundai Avante at highest in 2 years

Full September 2014 Top 52 All-models and Top 5 brands Ranking Tables below.