South Korea August 2019: Kia Seltos breaks into Top 5 in market down -6.1%

The Kia Seltos is inside the South Korean Top 5 for its 2nd month in market.

This article has been updated with the Top 10 foreign models.

New car sales in South Korea slide down -6.1% year-on-year in August to 136.601 registrations, pulling the year-to-date volume down -4.5% to 1.148.319. Local carmakers (-6.2%) match their home market for the month at 118.479 and 86.7% share with foreigners (-5.6%) resisting slightly better at 18.122 and 13.3%. Year-to-date, this time locals fare frankly better at -2.1% to 1.001.392 and 87.2% share whereas foreign carmakers freefall -18.4% to 146.927 and 12.8%. In August Hyundai (-10.6%) is in difficulty and sees its margin over sister brand Kia (-1.9%) reduce to just 5.000 units while Ssangyong (-11.2%) also struggles at #3 and Renault Samsung (+9.3%) posts a sturdy gain at #4. Mercedes (+123.3%) spectacularly more than doubles its sales year-on-year, securing the 5th spot overall for the third month in a row ahead of GM Korea (-13.3%) and Genesis (+1.2%). BMW (+80.1%) and Mini (+36.2%) also stun inside the Top 10, while further down Lexus (+7.7%) and Rolls-Royce (+16.7%) are the only brands in positive out of 20…

The Hyundai Sonata (+42.7%) reclaims the top spot in the models ranking for the third time in the past 4 months thanks to the new generation, toppling the Hyundai Porter (+13.2%) while the facelifted Kia K7 (+110.6%) is down one spot on July to a still outstanding third place and the Hyundai Santa Fe (-30.1%) now sees its honeymoon with the South Korean customer end. Launched last month, the Kia Seltos is up 9 spots to break into the Korean Top 5 for the first time at #5 with over 6.000 sales, already the 2nd best-selling SUV in the country. The Samsung QM6 aka Renault Koleos (+60.7%) holds at #10 vs. #18 YTD, the new Hyundai Venue is up 13 ranks on its inaugural month to #12 and the Hyundai Palisade is down 9 to #21.

Previous month: South Korea July 2019: Kia K7 up to record #2, Kia Seltos and Hyundai Venue land

One year ago: South Korea August 2018: Hyundai Santa Fe marks 6 months at #1

Full August 2019 Top 30 All-brands, Top 60 All local models and Top 10 foreign models below.