South Korea auto sales rise 9.8% in January as Hyundai and Kia lead

Five Korean automakers reported January results showing that South Korea auto sales increased 9.8% year-on-year to 99,505 units, reflecting stronger domestic demand. The rise was supported by a higher number of business days, as the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday shifts to February, unlike the prior year.

Domestic sales performance across Korean automakers

Domestic market results highlighted clear leaders as well as notable divergences among manufacturers. Hyundai Motor maintained its leading position, while Kia continued to strengthen its share, supported by consistent SUV and MPV demand.

Hyundai and Kia maintain market dominance

Hyundai Motor recorded domestic sales of 50,208 units, translating into a 50.5% market share and a 9.0% year-on-year increase. Kia followed closely with 43,107 units sold, marking a 12.2% rise and a 43.3% share of the domestic market.

Mixed outcomes for other manufacturers

KGM ranked third with sales rising 38.5% to 3,186 units, capturing a 3.2% share. Renault Korea saw sales decline 13.9% to 2,239 units, while GM Korea reported a sharper drop of 37.8% to 765 units, resulting in a 0.8% share. The strong performance at KGM was driven primarily by robust demand for the internal combustion engine version of the all-new Musso pickup truck, which entered the market in January.

Overseas and global sales trends

Overseas sales performance varied significantly across companies, influencing overall global volumes for the month.

Export performance shows divergence

Overseas sales, including exports, declined 2.8% at Hyundai and 2.1% at KGM. Kia posted a modest 0.4% increase, while GM Korea recorded a sharp 44.6% rise. Renault Korea also reported strong growth, with overseas sales up 22.8%. Combined overseas volumes increased 1.4% year-on-year to 510,737 units.

Global sales post moderate growth

Global January sales reflected mixed momentum. Hyundai’s global volume declined 1.0% to 307,699 units, while Kia increased 2.3% to 245,272 units. GM Korea saw global sales surge 41.4% to 44,703 units, KGM grew 9.5% to 8,836 units, and Renault Korea declined 2.2% to 3,732 units. Collectively, the five automakers achieved global sales of 610,242 units, representing a 2.7% year-on-year increase.

Top-selling models in January

Model-level data underscored the continued strength of SUVs and multi-purpose vehicles in the South Korean vehicle market. Kia’s mid-size SUV Sorento ranked first with 8,838 units sold. It was followed by the compact SUV Sportage in second place with 6,015 units, while the Kia Carnival MPV secured third position with sales of 5,278 units, reinforcing Kia’s strong presence in the domestic rankings.