South Korea July 2026: Tesla Model Y outsells Hyundai Grandeur to #1, Kia Seltos up to record #2

The Kia Seltos climbs to #2 for the first time in the nameplate’s history.

In July, the South Korean new light vehicle market edges up 0.6% year-on-year to 138,895 units. This is solely due to foreign manufacturers up 14.4% to 30,976 whereas locals are actually down -2.8% to 107,919. Same situation year-to-date, with a tally up 2.3% to 984,251 including 769,262 locals (-3.5%) and 214,989 foreigners (+30.3%). Kia (+21.3%) delivers a 7th consecutive monthly win at 39.4% share vs. 35.7% year-to-date. The gap with Hyundai (-11.1%) is over 12,000 units for the month, a new record. Tesla (+39.1%) stays at a brilliant third place with 7.4% share, well above BMW (+0.7%). Local premium brand Genesis (-34%) implodes and needs fresh metal real soon. BYD (+874.7%) repeats at #7 but drops from a record 2.9% share last month to 2% now.

The Kia Ray is up to a record 6th place.

The Hyundai Grandeur (+93.6%) repeats at #1 but stays #2 in the year-to-date order, 15,000 units below the Kia Sorento (-12.8%), even though the latter is down to #4 for the month. In fact the Grandeur is the only Hyundai in the Top 6. The Kia Seltos (+50.9%) reaches a record 2nd place, only one month after notching its first podium ranking in its 84 months in market. The Carnival (-4.1%) follows at #3, the Sportage (-0.8%) at #5 and the Ray (+37.4%) at #6, a new ranking record for the nameplate. The Hyundai Sonata (+38.3%) and Kia EV3 (+57.7%) also shine in the remainder of the Top 10, while the new Kia EV5 hits a record #11. Sudden surge for the Kia Morning (+306.7%) up 4-fold to #12.

The Tesla Model Y is the overall best seller in South Korea in July.

Looking at the foreign models, we realise that the Tesla Model Y (+32.7%) is the overall best-seller (including local models) for the second time in the past three months after last May. It outsells the Hyundai Grandeur by 173 units. The BMW 5 Series (-6.8%) is back up one spot on June to #2 while the Tesla Model 3 (+91.9%) almost doubles its year-ago volume and gains 19 ranks to #3, the nameplate’s 4th podium ranking in the past five months. The Mercedes E Class (+3.3%) stays at #4, followed by two new BYDs: the Dolphin down three spots to #5 and the Sealion 7 repeating at #6. The Toyota RAV4 (+169.1%) finally sees the effects of its new generation at #9.

Previous month: South Korea June 2026: BYD smashes records

One year ago: South Korea July 2025: Kia Carnival topples Sorento to #1, Hyundai Palisade #3

Full July 2026 Top 30 All brands, Top 55 All local models and Top 50 foreign models below.