South Korea June 2022: Samsung QM6 up to #10, Ssangyong Torres arrives, market off -10.6%

The Ssangyong Torres has landed in the South Korean charts.

12/07 update: Now with Top 50 foreign models.

New car sales in South Korea drop -10.6% year-on-year in June to 143,848 units, including 121,153 local vehicles (-10.1%) and 22,695 foreigners (-13.3%). The year-to-date tally is now off -11.3% to 799,895 sales, that includes 668,886 locals (-11.3%) and 131,009 foreigners (-11.3%). Hyundai (-13%) manages two consecutive pole positions for the first time this year with 33.6% share, in line with its YTD level of 33.4%. Kia (+31.4%) is just above 3,000 sales below at 31.4% share vs. 32.8% so far this year. Genesis (-13.1%) brilliantly remains in third place while Renault Samsung (+34%) surges three spots on May to #4. BMW (-0.8%) overtakes Mercedes (-14.4%) to become the best-selling foreign brand in South Korea for the month. Ssangyong (-19.9%) is now eagerly awaiting the first full month of sales  of the new Torres – appearing in the ranking this month at #51 – for which there are 25,000 pre-orders. It should enable the brand to sell over 10,000 units per month for a while. GM Korea (-22.8%), Audi (+3%) and Volvo (-10%) complete the Top 10.

In the local models ranking, the Hyundai Grandeur (-16.5%) lodges its 2nd win in the past four months and climbs two spots to #2 YTD as a result. Still by far #1 over H1 2022, the Hyundai Porter (-24.2%) ranks 2nd in June while the Palisade (+16%) enjoys the effect of its facelift and ensures the podium is 100% Hyundai. The Kia Sorento (-8%) and Carnival (-16.4%) complete the Top 5, note 72.8% of Sorento sales go to the hybrid variant. Below a weak Hyundai Sonata (-23%) however up five ranks on last month to #6, the Kia Sportage (+280.2%) continues to surf of the success of its drastically different new generation, with the hybrid model accounting for 53.3% of its June volume. The Hyundai Casper stays at a record 8th place above the Kia Bongo (-26%). The Samsung QM6 (aka Renault Koleos) surges 24% year-on-year and 21 spots month-on-month to break into the Top 10 for the first time since June 2020. The reason behind this sudden success is the LPG model accounting for 62.8% of the mode’s sales for the month as interest in LPG vehicles has increased due to high petrol prices.

The Mercedes E-Cass (+40.3%) easily retains the foreigner Top spot above the Mercedes S-Class (-34.9%) in difficulty year-on-year but up one spot month-on-month. The Tesla Model 3 (-62%) clings to the third spot of the podium ahead of the Toyota Model Y (-45.9%), but they are both in a rut. The BMW 5 Series (-56.7%) also struggles and closes the Top 5. The BMW X3 (+50.4%) records the largest year-on-year gain in the Top 10 with the BMW X5 (+38.7%) and Mercedes GLE (+29.8%) also impressive. In fact BMW strikingly places almost all its SUVs within the Top 20: the X7 (+42%) ranks #11, the X6 (+58.3%) #12, the X1 (+181.9%) #15 and the X4 (+18.8%) #20. Only missing is the X2. 

Previous month: South Korea May 2022: Hyundai Casper breaks records in market edging down -3.3%

Oe year ago: South Korea June 2021: Hyundai Ioniq 5 up to #15 in market down -21%

Full June 2022 Top 30 All brands, Top 55 All local models and Top 50 foreigners below.