Grandeur Returns to Monthly No.1... 1t Trucks Take Quarterly 1st and 2nd Place

Top 10 Domestic Car Models Sold in March
Asan Plant Resumes Operation, Grandeur Ranks 1st
Porter and Bongo Take 1st and 2nd in Q1 This Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Last month, the best-selling car in South Korea was the Hyundai Grandeur. The mid-large sedan Grandeur has consistently attracted buyers and has been among the monthly and annual best-selling cars for several years. Although production at Hyundai's Asan plant was temporarily slowed due to maintenance work on the production line, the line resumed operation and the Grandeur quickly regained its top position.

According to sales figures announced by various companies on the 2nd, 6,663 units of the Grandeur were sold last month. This is a significant increase compared to January and February this year (1,806 units and 4,490 units respectively). Considering that it usually sells around 10,000 units per month, last month's sales were somewhat lower than usual but it remains a key model for Hyundai. A completely redesigned new model is scheduled for release this year, and it is rare for a car to maintain such steady demand for several years after launch. It is reported that delivery times still range from as little as two months to seven or eight months for popular models like hybrids.

The second and third best-selling vehicles were Kia's sport utility vehicles (SUVs), the Sorento and the Sportage, with 5,435 and 4,919 units sold respectively. The monthly best-selling cars and top-selling models generally sold between 5,000 and 6,000 units, which is somewhat lower than in the past due to supply chain issues such as shortages of automotive semiconductors. Although orders are strong, the absence of one or two parts has prevented the completion of finished vehicles.

The fourth best-selling vehicle was Hyundai's 1-ton truck Porter, followed by Kia's Bongo in fifth place. They sold 4,708 and 4,608 units respectively. Hyundai's SUV Palisade followed closely with 4,501 units sold. Hyundai Sonata (4,317 units), Kia SUV Seltos (4,266 units), Kia multipurpose vehicle Carnival (4,065 units), and Genesis sedan G80 (3,967 units) ranked from seventh to tenth place.

All of the top 15 best-selling vehicles were models from Hyundai (including Genesis) and Kia. SsangYong's Rexton Sports ranked 16th with 2,785 units sold. Over the past month, Hyundai and Kia combined have held more than 88% of the domestic car market share in South Korea.

Although the Grandeur was the top seller last month, the best-selling model for the first quarter was Hyundai's Porter. With 18,146 units sold, it ranked first, followed by its sibling Kia Bongo with 15,358 units, securing the top two spots for the quarter. This vehicle maintains steady demand whether the economy is good or bad. It is reported that orders placed now will be delivered around the end of this year or early next year.