Seoul: The number of imported vehicles sold in South Korea experienced a slight decline last month compared to the previous year. However, eco-friendly vehicles, including hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs), reached a historic high, comprising 81 percent of the total sales, as reported by industry data on Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA) revealed that a total of 21,495 imported cars were newly registered in April, marking a 0.3 percent decrease from the previous year. KAIDA pointed to price increases and inventory shortages for specific brands as the main reasons for this downturn.
Analyzing brand performance, BMW emerged as the leader with 6,710 units sold. It was followed by Mercedes-Benz with 4,908 units, Tesla with 1,447 units, and Lexus with 1,353 units. The sales hierarchy reflected the growing preference for luxury and technologically advanced vehicles among South Korean consumers.
In terms of fuel preferences, hybrid vehicles dominated the sales with a 63.7 percent share. Electric vehicles accounted for 17.3 percent, narrowly surpassing gasoline models, which made up 17.1 percent of sales. Diesel models, on the other hand, represented only 1.9 percent of the total imports, indicating a shift away from traditional fuel types.
The best-selling individual models included Mercedes-Benz's E-Class, which topped the sales charts with 2,151 units sold. BMW's 5 Series followed closely with 2,040 units, while Tesla's Model Y secured the third spot with 804 units. These figures highlight the competitive landscape and consumer preferences within the imported car market in South Korea.