South Korea February 2026: Tesla breaks records, Kia PV5 up to #4
The Kia PV5 is up to a record 4th place in South Korea in February.
The South Korean new vehicle market is down a harsh -7.3% year-on-year in February to 122,874 units. Indeed if foreign manufacturers are euphoric at +34.6% to 22.1% share, local carmakers sink -14.8% to 77.9% of the market. Year-to-date, thanks to a strong January sales are up 2% to 243,320 including 195,179 locals (-3.9%) and 48,141 foreigners (+35.9%).
For the 2nd month in a row, Kia (-8.6%) is above sister brand Hyundai (-14.7%) and cements its YTD dominance with 35% share vs. 33.5%. Tesla (+254.1%) is the performer of the month, breaking its records for ranking (#3) and share (6.4%). Genesis (-32.1%) is in complete freefall at #4 and falls to its lowest volume in almost 6 years: since March 2020. BMW (+0.6%) and Mercedes (+14.1%) follow, both defying the negative market while KG Mobility (+38.3%) surges ahead but drops one spot on last month to #7. Audi (+62.7%), Toyota (+27.3%) and Volkswagen (+20.2%) also shine while newcomer BYD is down two ranks on January to #12.
Looking at the domestic models ranking, the Kia Sorento (-15.2%) remains in 2nd place, followed this time by the Hyundai Porter (-10.4%) and Sonata (-3.2%). The surprise of the month is the 4th place of the new Kia PV5, up 23 ranks on last month and now #16 year-to-date vs. #45 over the Full Year 2025. The Hyundai Grandeur (-28.2%) rounds out the Top 5 in paltry fashion. The rare gainers this month are almost all BEVs and include the Hyundai Ioniq 9 (+867.4%), Ioniq 5 (+120.6%) and Kia EV3 (+53.7%).
Foreign models data will be uploaded when made available to us.
Previous month: South Korea January 2026: Kia topples Hyundai to #1, monopolises podium
One year ago: South Korea February 2025: Kia monopolises podium again but Hyundai #1
Full February 2026 Top 31 All brands and Top 55 All local models below.
South Korea February 2026 – brands:
| Pos | Brand | Feb-26 | % | /25 | Jan | 2026 | % | /25 | Pos | FY25 |
| 1 | Kia | 42,066 | 34.2% | – 8.6% | 1 | 85,195 | 35.0% | + 0.9% | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Hyundai | 40,066 | 32.6% | – 14.7% | 2 | 81,603 | 33.5% | – 3.1% | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | Tesla | 7,868 | 6.4% | + 254.1% | 8 | 9,834 | 4.0% | + 341.6% | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | Genesis | 6,942 | 5.6% | – 32.1% | 3 | 15,613 | 6.4% | – 18.0% | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | BMW | 6,313 | 5.1% | + 0.6% | 4 | 12,583 | 5.2% | + 2.9% | 4 | 4 |
| 6 | Mercedes | 5,322 | 4.3% | + 14.1% | 5 | 10,443 | 4.3% | + 23.5% | 5 | 5 |
| 7 | KG Mobility | 3,701 | 3.0% | + 38.3% | 6 | 6,888 | 2.8% | + 38.4% | 7 | 8 |
| 8 | Renault Korea | 2,000 | 1.6% | – 59.0% | 7 | 4,239 | 1.7% | – 43.3% | 8 | 7 |
| 9 | Lexus | 1,113 | 0.9% | – 16.8% | 9 | 2,577 | 1.1% | + 4.6% | 9 | 10 |
| 10 | Volvo | 1,095 | 0.9% | + 4.7% | 11 | 2,132 | 0.9% | + 2.5% | 11 | 9 |
| 11 | Audi | 991 | 0.8% | + 62.7% | 12 | 1,838 | 0.8% | + 97.8% | 12 | 12 |
| 12 | BYD | 957 | 0.8% | new | 10 | 2,304 | 0.9% | #DIV/0! | 10 | 16 |
| 13 | GM Korea | 909 | 0.7% | – 38.7% | 13 | 1,641 | 0.7% | – 39.2% | 13 | 11 |
| 14 | Toyota | 793 | 0.6% | + 27.3% | 15 | 1,415 | 0.6% | + 34.4% | 14 | 14 |
| 15 | Volkswagen | 600 | 0.5% | + 20.2% | 18 | 817 | 0.3% | + 30.1% | 17 | 18 |
| 16 | Mini | 510 | 0.4% | – 5.2% | 16 | 1,077 | 0.4% | + 39.5% | 16 | 15 |
| 17 | Porsche | 494 | 0.4% | – 29.7% | 14 | 1,196 | 0.5% | – 11.2% | 15 | 13 |
| 18 | Land Rover | 386 | 0.3% | – 12.7% | 17 | 610 | 0.3% | – 20.5% | 18 | 17 |
| 19 | Polestar | 243 | 0.2% | + 242.3% | 27 | 270 | 0.1% | + 55.2% | 19 | 20 |
| 20 | GMC | 123 | 0.1% | + 485.7% | 22 | 185 | 0.1% | + 428.6% | 21 | 30 |
| 21 | Jeep | 102 | 0.1% | – 8.1% | 19 | 219 | 0.1% | – 5.2% | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | Peugeot | 79 | 0.1% | + 97.5% | 24 | 112 | 0.0% | + 43.6% | 24 | 24 |
| 23 | Ford | 66 | 0.1% | – 83.2% | 21 | 130 | 0.1% | – 82.9% | 22 | 19 |
| 24 | Bentley | 40 | 0.0% | + 53.8% | 25 | 68 | 0.0% | + 88.9% | 26 | 27 |
| 25 | Honda | 23 | 0.0% | – 92.3% | 20 | 127 | 0.1% | – 73.3% | 23 | 22 |
| 26 | Cadillac | 23 | 0.0% | – 8.0% | 23 | 73 | 0.0% | + 43.1% | 25 | 25 |
| 27 | Rolls-Royce | 17 | 0.0% | + 30.8% | 30 | 28 | 0.0% | + 40.0% | 29 | 31 |
| 28 | Lincoln | 15 | 0.0% | – 87.4% | 28 | 38 | 0.0% | – 85.0% | 28 | 23 |
| 29 | Ferrari | 13 | 0.0% | – 53.6% | 26 | 40 | 0.0% | – 33.3% | 27 | 28 |
| 30 | Lamborghini | 4 | 0.0% | – 88.6% | 29 | 25 | 0.0% | – 73.1% | 30 | 26 |
| 31 | Maserati | 0 | 0.0% | – 100.0% | 31 | 0 | 0.0% | – 100.0% | 31 | 29 |
| – | Total local manufacturers | 95,684 | 77.9% | – 14.8% | – | 195,179 | 80.2% | – 3.9% | – | – |
| – | Total foreign manufacturers | 27,190 | 22.1% | + 34.6% | – | 48,141 | 19.8% | + 35.9% | – | – |
| – | Total market | 122,874 | 100.0% | – 7.3% | – | 243,320 | 100.0% | + 2.0% | – | – |
South Korea February 2026 – local models:
| Pos | Model | Feb-26 | /25 | Jan | 2026 | /25 | Pos | FY25 |
| 1 | Kia Sorento | 7,693 | – 15.2% | 1 | 16,081 | – 2.7% | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Hyundai Porter | 4,634 | – 10.4% | 12 | 7,954 | – 6.5% | 8 | 8 |
| 3 | Hyundai Sonata | 4,436 | – 3.2% | 5 | 9,579 | + 16.7% | 3 | 11 |
| 4 | Kia PV5 | 3,967 | new | 27 | 4,993 | new | 16 | 45 |
| 5 | Hyundai Grandeur | 3,933 | – 28.2% | 6 | 8,949 | – 20.0% | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Kia Sportage | 3,800 | – 42.1% | 2 | 9,815 | – 25.2% | 2 | 4 |
| 7 | Kia Carnival | 3,712 | – 52.0% | 3 | 8,990 | – 34.9% | 4 | 3 |
| 8 | Hyundai Avante | 3,628 | – 42.4% | 4 | 8,872 | – 24.6% | 6 | 2 |
| 9 | Kia EV3 | 3,469 | + 53.7% | 30 | 4,206 | + 56.6% | 19 | 22 |
| 10 | Kia Ray | 3,241 | – 24.4% | 8 | 7,687 | – 5.8% | 9 | 12 |
| 11 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 3,227 | + 120.6% | 40 | 3,541 | + 130.2% | 22 | 26 |
| 12 | Hyundai Palisade | 3,081 | – 19.8% | 7 | 8,075 | + 26.9% | 7 | 6 |
| 13 | Hyundai Tucson | 2,972 | – 37.2% | 9 | 7,241 | – 13.5% | 10 | 10 |
| 14 | Hyundai Kona | 2,876 | + 28.7% | 13 | 6,039 | + 38.0% | 12 | 19 |
| 15 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 2,679 | – 47.2% | 11 | 6,058 | – 38.8% | 11 | 7 |
| 16 | Kia Bongo | 2,607 | – 20.5% | 17 | 5,032 | – 11.7% | 15 | 17 |
| 17 | Kia EV5 | 2,524 | new | 29 | 3,371 | new | 24 | 49 |
| 18 | Genesis G80 | 2,247 | – 44.2% | 14 | 5,240 | – 22.4% | 13 | 13 |
| 19 | Kia K5 | 2,175 | – 13.1% | 15 | 4,927 | – 3.1% | 17 | 16 |
| 20 | Genesis GV70 | 2,090 | – 24.0% | 16 | 4,792 | – 12.7% | 18 | 18 |
| 21 | Kia EV4 | 1,874 | new | 36 | 2,270 | new | 31 | 34 |
| 22 | Hyundai Staria | 1,781 | – 40.7% | 19 | 4,109 | – 25.1% | 20 | 15 |
| 23 | Hyundai Ioniq 9 | 1,751 | + 867.4% | 42 | 1,975 | + 991.2% | 32 | 33 |
| 24 | Genesis GV80 | 1,689 | – 36.1% | 18 | 4,075 | – 23.6% | 21 | 20 |
| 25 | Hyundai Ioniq 6 | 1,571 | + 354.0% | 41 | 1,816 | + 407.3% | 33 | 42 |
| 26 | Renault Korea Grand Koleos | 1,474 | – 64.1% | 24 | 3,137 | – 49.0% | 27 | 14 |
| 27 | Kia Seltos | 1,430 | – 70.0% | 10 | 5,128 | – 43.7% | 14 | 9 |
| 28 | KGM Musso | 1,393 | new | 26 | 2,516 | new | 29 | 44 |
| 29 | Kia K8 | 1,384 | – 43.7% | 20 | 3,519 | – 26.0% | 23 | 21 |
| 30 | Kia Niro | 1,378 | + 61.4% | 22 | 3,369 | + 136.4% | 25 | 27 |
| 31 | Hyundai Casper | 1,171 | – 9.4% | 25 | 2,299 | + 3.6% | 30 | 24 |
| 32 | Kia Morning | 1,141 | + 49.2% | 21 | 3,228 | + 43.5% | 26 | 25 |
| 33 | Hyundai Bus/Truck | 1,122 | – 12.5% | 23 | 2,891 | + 29.3% | 28 | 23 |
| 34 | Kia EV6 | 1,000 | – 9.1% | 43 | 1,214 | + 3.6% | 37 | 30 |
| 35 | KGM Musso EV | 842 | new | 33 | 1,369 | new | 36 | 37 |
| 36 | Chevrolet Trax Crossover | 771 | – 31.2% | 32 | 1,378 | – 33.5% | 35 | 29 |
| 37 | Hyundai Venue | 532 | – 23.7% | 28 | 1,423 | + 2.3% | 34 | 28 |
| 38 | KGM Actyon | 511 | + 43.9% | 31 | 1,143 | + 37.2% | 38 | 35 |
| 39 | Genesis G90 | 509 | – 18.9% | 34 | 998 | – 15.6% | 39 | 36 |
| 40 | KGM Tivoli | 500 | + 16.3% | 39 | 867 | + 19.9% | 40 | 41 |
| 41 | Hyundai Nexo | 467 | + 88.3% | 49 | 552 | + 102.9% | 44 | 39 |
| 42 | Renault Korea Arkana | 336 | + 29.2% | 38 | 705 | + 32.5% | 42 | 40 |
| 43 | Kia Tasman | 328 | new | 37 | 704 | new | 43 | 32 |
| 44 | KGM Torres | 301 | – 48.0% | 35 | 728 | – 35.3% | 41 | 31 |
| 45 | Hyundai ST1 | 205 | + 2.0% | 52 | 230 | + 10.6% | 49 | 55 |
| 46 | Genesis G70 | 169 | + 4.3% | 50 | 252 | – 6.3% | 48 | 50 |
| 47 | Renault Korea Scenic E-Tech | 150 | new | 44 | 357 | new | 45 | 59 |
| 48 | Kia Bus/Special | 149 | + 29.6% | 46 | 284 | + 31.5% | 46 | 46 |
| 49 | Chevrolet Trailblazer | 138 | – 54.3% | 47 | 259 | – 48.3% | 47 | 48 |
| 50 | Genesis GV60 | 122 | + 662.5% | 54 | 140 | + 677.8% | 53 | 58 |
| 51 | Kia EV9 | 113 | + 28.4% | 51 | 153 | + 22.4% | 52 | 53 |
| 52 | Kia K9 | 81 | – 50.6% | 45 | 224 | – 22.0% | 50 | 54 |
| 53 | KGM Rexton New Arena | 77 | – 18.9% | 48 | 164 | – 19.6% | 51 | 57 |
| 54 | KGM Torres EVX | 77 | – 82.5% | 53 | 101 | – 77.7% | 54 | 52 |
| 55 | Renault Korea Filante | 40 | new | – | 40 | new | 55 | – |
| 56 | Chevrolet Colorado | 0 | – 100.0% | 55 | 4 | – 83.3% | 56 | 63 |
Source: KAIDA
