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South Korea January 2018: Genesis above Renault Samsung

Genesis breaks into its home Top 5 brands for the first time.

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 30 All brands and Top 55 All local models – see title *

The Full Year 2017 Report has now been updated with the Top 30 brands

This post has been updated with the Top 80 foreign models.

New car sales in South Korea are up 8.7% year-on-year in January to 133.527 units, including 112.452 local models (+5.9%) and 21.075 foreigners (+26.4%). Hyundai continues to dominate the brands ranking but edges up only 1% to a round 33.7% share while sister brand Kia almost doubles the market growth at +12% to 29.3% share. GM Korea continues to struggle at -33% to 5.9% while Ssangyong is up a solid 9% to 5.7%. There are two main events in South Korea this month: first Mercedes soaring to 5th place overall thanks to deliveries up 10%, second the 6th position of Hyundai’s new luxury brand Genesis, up 10-fold on January 2017 to 4.8% share.

This means both Mercedes and Genesis overtake Renault Samsung for what is believed to be the first time (in the case of Mercedes) and 100% confirmed the first time in the case of Genesis, albeit by just two units. This sales surge is almost solely due to the rebranding of the Hyundai Genesis into Genesis G80, up 13% to a record 9th place this month. BMW also males itself noticed with a 124% year-on-year surge to 4% share, less than a thousand units below Renault Samsung. Volvo (+95%), Porsche (+96%), Peugeot (+116%) and Cadillac (+70%) also shine.

In the models ranking, the Hyundai Grandeur posts a 14th consecutive month at #1 but sees its sales drop 9% year-on-year, followed by the Hyundai Porter down a harsh 21%. The Kia Sorento is up 14% to #3, ahead of the Hyundai Avante (+12%) and Sonata (+38%). The Hyundai Kona is back up 12 spots on December to #11, the Kia Stonic is up 5 to #22 and the Kia Stinger up 3 to #37.

Previous post: South Korea Full Year 2017: First win for the Hyundai Grandeur

One year ago: South Korea January 2017: Hyundai Grandeur confirms top spot

Full January 2018 Top 30 brands, Top 55 all local models and Top 80 foreign models below.

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