Domestic Complete Vehicle Industry's October Exports 'Soaring'... 10% Increase Year-on-Year

Exports of the five domestic automakers in October continued their strong performance, increasing by more than 10% compared to the previous year. However, the results varied by company. Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, and Korea GM showed impressive export performances, while Renault Korea and KG Mobility showed signs of slowdown.

On the 1st, the five domestic automakers (Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, Korea GM, KG Mobility, and Renault Korea) sold 576,508 vehicles overseas in October, a 10.2% increase compared to the same period last year.

First, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia’s strong performance in overseas markets stood out. In October, Hyundai Motor Company sold 313,658 vehicles overseas, a 10.4% increase from the previous year. This is the best monthly performance in the past two years.

Kia also sold 214,139 vehicles, up 9.2% from the previous year. The best-selling model overseas was the Sportage (40,403 units). The Seltos followed with 30,784 units, and the K3 (Forte) with 18,439 units. Korea GM’s exports of global strategic models such as the Chevrolet Trax crossover and Trailblazer showed an increase for 19 consecutive months compared to the previous year.

Overseas sales in October recorded 41,800 units, an 83% increase from the previous year. The Trax crossover led overseas market performance with 25,048 units sold, while the Trailblazer sold 16,752 units.

On the other hand, KG Mobility and Renault Korea showed a decline in exports compared to both the previous year and the previous month. In October, KG Mobility exported 2,617 units overseas, a 51% decrease from the previous year. KG Mobility explained that the production halt due to the integration construction of the assembly line at the Pyeongtaek plant had a significant impact.

Renault Korea shipped 4,294 units, down 71% from the previous year. Renault Korea explained that there were some adjustments in shipping schedules. The XM3 (export name Renault Arkana) exported 3,668 units, including 2,943 hybrids, and the QM6 (export name Renault Koleos) exported 534 units.

Meanwhile, domestic sales of the five automakers in October totaled 117,012 units, a 2.3% decrease compared to the previous year. Although overall domestic market sales declined, hybrid sales surged.

Hyundai Motor Company’s hybrid sales in October reached 13,602 units, a 200% increase from the previous year. The Grandeur hybrid was the best-selling model with 4,279 units, and the newly launched Santa Fe hybrid, which began deliveries in October, sold 4,893 units. Kia also saw hybrid models lead sales, with eco-friendly vehicle sales in October increasing by 30% year-on-year to 17,132 units.

A Hyundai Motor Company official said, "We will expand eco-friendly vehicle sales by continuously strengthening the hybrid lineup and raising global awareness of the dedicated electric vehicle brand ‘Ioniq.’"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.