Five Korean Carmakers' Domestic Sales Hit 1.36 Million, Lowest Since Financial Crisis (Comprehensive)

Domestic Sales of Korean Automakers in 2025 Tallied

The domestic sales volume of the five major Korean automobile manufacturers last year stood at 1.36 million units, marking the lowest level since the global financial crisis. While Hyundai Motor and Kia experienced stagnation in their domestic sales growth, the three mid-sized companies-KG Mobility, GM Korea, and Renault Korea-attempted a rebound by launching new models, but their efforts fell short. Additionally, the strong performance of imported brands such as Tesla is also seen as a factor contributing to sluggish domestic sales.

According to industry sources on January 5, the combined annual domestic sales of the five Korean automakers (Hyundai Motor, Kia, Renault Korea, KG Mobility, and GM Korea) in 2025 reached 1,366,344 units, up 0.7% from the previous year (excluding special-purpose vehicles). For two consecutive years, the five companies have recorded domestic sales of around 1.36 million units, the lowest level since 2008, when sales plummeted to 1.15 million units due to the global financial crisis.

Yonhap News Agency

Hyundai Motor sold 712,954 units, up 1.1% from the previous year, and Kia's sales also increased by 1.1% to 545,776 units (excluding special-purpose vehicles).

In terms of individual models, Kia's recreational vehicle (RV) Sorento surpassed annual sales of 100,000 units for the first time ever. The Sorento was the best-selling car in Korea last year.

The three mid-sized companies showed mixed results in the domestic market. Renault Korea, boosted by the popularity of its new model Grand Koleos, sold 52,271 units, a 31% increase from the previous year. The Grand Koleos accounted for 78% of Renault Korea's annual domestic sales.

On the other hand, although KG Mobility expanded its new model lineup with the Torres Hybrid and Actyon Hybrid, its domestic sales fell by 14% year-on-year to 40,249 units.

GM Korea, affected by changes in its business environment such as the reduction of directly operated service centers in Korea, saw its domestic sales plummet by about 40% to just 15,094 units last year. This year, GM Korea plans to recover its sharply reduced sales in the Korean market by launching new brands such as Buick and GMC.

In overseas markets, the five companies sold a total of 6,562,739 units, down 0.3% from the previous year. By company, Hyundai Motor and Kia maintained similar levels to the previous year, while KG Mobility's exports improved by double digits, increasing by 12%. The increase in KG Mobility's exports was driven by the launch of new products mainly in Europe and Central and South America, as well as strengthened cooperation in the global sales network, including supplying government vehicles to countries such as Peru, Indonesia, and Spain.

GM Korea, which aims to export 500,000 compact SUVs annually to the U.S. market, saw its overseas sales decrease by about 6% last year to 447,216 units.