Five Major Automakers Sell 610,000 Units in January... Kia Sorento Tops Domestic Sales

Hyundai and Kia See Growth in Domestic Sales
Sportage Becomes the World's Best-Selling Model
GM Korea and KGM Rebound on Strong Export Performance
Renault Korea Slips Amid Declining Domestic Sales

In January of this year, the combined domestic and overseas sales of the five major Korean automakers rebounded. While individual companies experienced mixed results, Kia stood out with increases in both domestic and export sales.

According to an analysis of sales figures released on February 2 by Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, GM Korea, Renault Korea, and KG Mobility (KGM), the total domestic and overseas sales of these five companies reached 610,527 units in January, up 2.7% from the same period last year (594,341 units).

The 2026 Sorento X-Line. Kia

Hyundai Motor Company sold a total of 307,699 units globally in January, with 50,208 units sold domestically and 257,491 units overseas. This represents a 1.0% decrease compared to the same month last year. While domestic sales increased by 9.0%, overseas sales declined by 2.8%, resulting in a slight overall decrease. In the domestic market, sedans, SUVs, and the Genesis brand all contributed evenly to sales growth.

In overseas markets, Hyundai was affected by a slowdown in global demand. A Hyundai official stated, "Although we anticipate that the challenging business environment will continue this year, we plan to steadily expand our market share through new models with outstanding product competitiveness."

Among the five automakers, Kia's performance was particularly notable. In January, Kia sold a total of 245,557 units in the global market, including 43,107 units domestically, 202,165 units overseas, and 285 special-purpose vehicles, marking a 2.4% increase from the same period last year. Excluding special-purpose vehicles, domestic sales rose by 12.2%, while overseas sales increased by 0.4%.

GM Korea recorded the highest growth rate, driven by strong exports. Total sales in January reached 44,703 units, a 41.4% increase year-on-year. Domestic sales fell by 37.8% to 765 units, but exports surged by 44.6% to 43,938 units, boosting overall performance. The Chevrolet Trax Crossover led exports with 26,860 units sold, and the Trailblazer also posted double-digit growth with 17,078 units.

KGM Musso Grand Style. KGM

KGM achieved a 9.5% year-on-year growth in January, selling a total of 8,836 units, thanks to the launch of its new pickup, the Musso. Domestic sales reached 3,186 units, while exports accounted for 5,650 units. The Musso, which was officially launched in January and began full-scale delivery to customers, sold 1,123 units, attracting significant market attention.

Renault Korea sold a total of 3,732 units in January, including 2,239 units domestically and 1,493 units for export, representing a 2.2% decrease compared to the previous year. In the domestic market, sales of the mid-size SUV Grand Koleos, which drives the company's overall performance, dropped by 18.5% year-on-year to 1,663 units, leading to a 13.9% decline in total domestic sales. Exports, centered on the Grand Koleos and Arkana, totaled 1,493 units.

The best-selling car in the domestic market in January was the Kia Sorento, with 8,388 units sold. This model, which was the annual best-selling model for two consecutive years in 2024 and 2025, continues to enjoy strong popularity.

Following the Sorento, other popular models included the Kia Sportage (6,015 units), Kia Carnival (5,278 units), Hyundai Avante (5,244 units), and Hyundai Sonata (5,143 units).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.