Imported Cars in Korea: BMW Most Purchased by People in Their 20s... What About Those in Their 50s?

BMW is No.1 for ages 20-40
Mercedes-Benz is No.1 for ages 50 and above
40s lead in imported car purchases by age group

Among domestic import car buyers, those in their 20s to 40s preferred BMW, while those aged 50 and above favored Mercedes-Benz, respectively. According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) on the 21st, from January to October, the most purchased import car by people in their 20s was BMW, recording 2,689 units. Mercedes-Benz ranked second with 946 units, and third was Mini, part of the BMW Group, with 506 units.

BMW was also the top choice among those in their 30s and 40s. Looking at BMW sales, 13,008 units were sold to people in their 30s and 14,050 units to those in their 40s, ranking first in both age groups. A BMW representative said, "It appears that having a lineup that satisfies the needs of young people who value dynamic design and driving pleasure, as well as those in their 30s and 40s, across not only traditional internal combustion engines but also hybrids and electric vehicles, has been effective."

On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz was the best-selling brand among those aged 50 and above. Mercedes-Benz sold 7,722 units to people in their 50s and 3,965 units to those in their 60s, ranking first in both groups. For those in their 70s, it was the only brand to sell over 1,000 units, with 1,150 units sold. BMW ranked second in the 50s and 60s age groups, with 7,155 units and 2,324 units sold, respectively. A Mercedes-Benz representative stated, "The reason for its popularity among middle-aged and older customers in the Korean market is due to Mercedes-Benz’s unique comfortable and stable driving experience, as well as its luxurious design, which many customers choose."

Meanwhile, the age group that purchased the most import cars was those in their 40s. Among the total 134,153 buyers, 40,528 people in their 40s accounted for 33.8% of import car purchases. Additionally, from January to October this year, the cumulative sales leader was BMW, which sold 62,514 units including both personal and corporate vehicles. Mercedes-Benz ranked second with 60,988 units sold.