South Korea May 2021: Hyundai Grandeur #1 YTD, Staria up to #15 in market down -12.5%

The new Hyundai Staria breaks into the Top 15 this month.

15/06 update: Now with Top 50 foreign models.

The South Korean new car market drops -12.5% year-on-year in May to 148.225 units, including 124.145 local brands (-15%) and 24.080 foreigners (+3.5%). The year-to-date volume is now up 2.6% to 740.909 including 619.343 locals (-0.3%) and 121.566 foreigners (+20.5%). Hyundai (-15.3%) falls faster than the market and is now only 1.124 units above sister brand Kia (-6.4%) resisting better. Genesis (+0.5%) edges up to cement its third place overall. Mercedes (+17.4%) and BMW (+27.5%) both show market-defying health and round out the Top 5 above three struggling local brands: Ssangyong (-34.6%), Renault Samsung (-56.2%) and GM Korea (-23.3%) falling below 5.000 monthly sales for the first time since February 2020. Strong performances are a lot more common among foreign brands and include Jeep/Chrysler (+39.4%), Lexus (+38%), Ford (+26.2%), Toyota (+29.1%), Honda (+137.9%), Bentley (+273.3%) and Rolls Royce (+35.3%).

In the local models ranking, the Hyundai Grandeur (-41.8%) implodes as it is hit full frontal by the semiconductor shortage but remains in the lead, snapping the year-to-date crown in the process. The Kia Carnival (+145.5%) continues to be lifted by the new generation and climbs back up to #2, dislodging the Hyundai Porter (+9.6%). The Kia Sorento (-26%) is down year-on-year but up four spots on April to #4. The Kia K8 (+24.7%) and Hyundai Palisade (+20.7%) are the only additional year-on-year gainers in the Top 10, with the Hyundai Avante (-28.6%) and Genesis G80 (-26.4%) the hardest hit. Among recent launches, the Genesis GV70 is back up one spot on last month to #12 and #3 SUV in the country, the Hyundai Staria is up 30 to #15 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 up 26 to #22. As for foreign models, the Tesla Model Y spectacularly takes the lead above the Mercedes E-Class (-14.6%), BMW 5 Series (+26.9%) and Mercedes S-Class (+227.6%). The VW Jetta rounds the Top 5 ahead of the Lexus ES (+45%) and Mercedes GLE (+75.4%).

Previous month: South Korea April 2021: Hyundai Grandeur back on top, Staria and Ioniq 5 land in market down -2.5%

One year ago: South Korea May 2020: Genesis scores first podium finish, G80 up to record #5, market shoots up 12.7%

Full May 2021 Top 30 All-brands, Top 55 local models and Top 50 foreign models below.