Sorento Set to Be Korea's Best-Selling Car for 2nd Year... Avante Likely to Remain in Top 3

Kia's mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV), the Sorento, is expected to become the domestic "best-selling car" for the second consecutive year. Hyundai Motor Company's Avante is also likely to rank among the top, overcoming the strong performance of recreational vehicles (RVs) and large cars.

Kia 'The 2026 Sorento'

According to the domestic sales figures of the five major automakers in Korea compiled as of December 24, the Sorento sold a total of 90,526 units in Korea from January to November this year, ranking first in cumulative sales. The Avante ranked second with 72,558 units sold, while the Kia Carnival came in third with 72,289 units.

The sales gap between the Sorento and the Avante is 17,968 units, and given the monthly sales volume, the Sorento is highly likely to become the annual best-selling car this year. Last year, the Sorento became the best-selling car in Korea for the first time as a Kia model and as an RV. Although last year's Sorento sales reached 94,538 units-falling short of 100,000-this year, it is considered possible for sales to surpass the 100,000 mark.

Hyundai Motor Company '2026 Avante N'

It is also noteworthy that the Avante, a sedan, secured second place despite the popularity of RVs and large cars. The Avante had consistently ranked in the annual "top three"-even becoming the best-selling car in 2011 with 137,751 units sold-but as RVs and large cars gained popularity in the late 2010s, it dropped out of the top five and fell to ninth place last year with 56,890 units sold.

Industry experts analyze that, due to the economic downturn and a trend toward practical consumption, demand in the automotive market is shifting toward "value for money" (performance relative to price) models, which has contributed to the Avante's resurgence in popularity. The new Avante's expanded advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and infotainment package have also been cited as reasons for increased sales. In addition, the availability of a wide range of powertrains-including not only the standard gasoline model but also hybrid and high-performance N variants-has played a role in boosting sales.

Furthermore, Hyundai Motor Company's large SUV, the Palisade-which was outside the top ten last year-is now highly likely to secure sixth place this year, thanks to the launch of its hybrid model. The Palisade sold 55,291 units from January to November this year.