Interest in Domestic Used Cars in the First Half of the Year... 'Sedans' Over SUVs

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] In the first half of this year, interest in sedans increased in the domestic used car market.

According to big data analysis by the car trading platform Encar.com on the 24th, consumer interest in sedans was high in the domestic used car market during the first half of this year.

Analyzing the models viewed by consumers through the Encar.com mobile app and mobile web from January to June this year, most of the top 10 most viewed models in the first half were sedans, with sedan views surpassing those of SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles).

The most viewed model in the first half of this year among domestic cars was the Hyundai Grandeur IG, which ranked first. Following were the Hyundai Avante AD in second place, Hyundai Grandeur HG in third, Hyundai LF Sonata in fourth, and Kia All New Carnival in fifth. From sixth to tenth place were Genesis G80, G70, Kia All New K7, Hyundai All New Tucson, and Kia Ray, respectively.

For imported cars, German sedans dominated the top view rankings. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W213) took first place, followed by the BMW 5 Series (F10) and its successor 5 Series (G30) in second and third places, respectively. The BMW 3 Series (F30) ranked fourth, and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W205) was fifth.

From sixth to tenth place were the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W212), S-Class (W222), Audi New A6, BMW 4 Series (F32), and Mercedes-Benz GL Class X253, in that order.

Consumer interest in sedans was clearly evident across all age groups. In every age group, sedan model views were more than twice those of SUV models.

Among these, the 20s age group stood out with sedan model views approximately three times higher than SUV model views compared to other age groups.

This is attributed to practical choices such as the Avante and Grandeur from model years 2010 to 2018, which can be purchased at relatively low prices as first cars in life, as well as high interest in popular imported sedans.

Regarding fuel type preferences, gasoline and diesel model views accounted for 95% of the total, indicating that many consumers still consider internal combustion engine vehicles.

An Encar.com official stated, “Although the popularity of SUVs continues, the high sales of new sedan models like the Grandeur and E-Class correspond with the sustained popularity of sedan models in the used car market.” He added, “For eco-friendly cars, once issues such as local government subsidies and battery warranties are resolved, we expect their market share and consumer preference in the used car market to gradually increase.”