Seoul: Renault Korea Motors, the South Korean branch of Renault S.A., reported a 4.8 percent decrease in sales for June compared to the previous year, despite robust domestic demand.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Renault Korea sold 8,568 vehicles in June, a drop from 9,002 units in the same month last year, as stated in a company press release. The company experienced a significant increase in domestic sales, which more than doubled to 5,013 units from 2,041 units over the cited period. However, this domestic growth was overshadowed by a sharp 48.9 percent decline in exports, which fell to 3,555 units from 6,961 units on a year-on-year basis.
The rise in domestic sales was primarily driven by the increased demand for the midsize Grand Koleos sport utility vehicle (SUV), with 4,098 units sold in June. Despite this strong domestic performance, the company faced challenges overseas, particularly with sluggish sales of the QM6 midsized SUV and the Arcana SUV, which significantly impacted the company's export figures for June.
For the first half of the year, cumulative sales from January to June reached 47,027 units, reflecting an 11.6 percent increase from the 42,113 units sold in the same period last year. This growth was largely attributed to domestic sales, which more than doubled to 28,065 vehicles from 11,213. This domestic increase successfully offset a 38.7 percent decline in exports, which fell to 18,962 units from 30,920 units during the same period.