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South Korea's Import Car Sales Surge 9% in August
11 Sep
Summary
- Imported light passenger vehicle sales rose 9% in August 2026.
- BEV and HEV demand significantly boosted year-to-date import sales.
- Tesla leads import growth with 122% year-to-date delivery increase.
In August 2026, sales of imported light passenger vehicles in South Korea grew by 9% compared to the previous year, with 29,817 units registered. This upward trend has been consistent throughout the year, largely propelled by robust consumer interest in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).
Year-to-date deliveries for imported vehicles have surged by an impressive 27%, totaling 244,825 units. This performance significantly outpaces the domestic market, where sales from the five major South Korean automakers declined by 6.4% during the same period. Tesla has been instrumental in this import segment growth, experiencing a 122% surge in deliveries year-to-date, commanding a 31% market share.
Other notable import brands include BMW, which saw a 1% sales increase to 51,863 units year-to-date, and Mercedes-Benz, whose sales fell by 9% to 37,772 units despite new model launches. Volkswagen Group reported a slight decline, while Porsche experienced a drop of over 24%. Toyota's sales rose 22%, and BYD's sales jumped ninefold, though it faces challenges qualifying for BEV incentives.
