South Korean vehicle import sales surge 37% in June

Sales of imported airy rider vehicles successful South Korea jumped by 37% to 38,059 units successful June 2026, up from 29,860 units successful the aforesaid period past year, according to registration information released by the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA).

Sales of imported airy rider vehicles successful the state person risen powerfully this year, driven by beardown section request for artillery electrical vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electrical vehicles (HEVs). In the archetypal six months of 2026, import income surged by 33% to 184,032 units, up from 138,120 units successful the aforesaid play past year, powerfully outperforming income by the country's 5 main automakers, which reported a 3% driblet successful combined home income to 663,491 units year-to-date.

Tesla has been down astir of the import segment's beardown maturation this year, with deliveries surging astir threefold to 56,139 units, to go the starring import marque with a 30% stock of conception sales. The US automaker has travel nether occurrence locally this period for hiking its prices conscionable aft it qualified for caller BEV incentives introduced astatine the opening of July.

A caller points-based BEV subsidy valuation strategy has been introduced by the government, replacing the existing conveyance range- and efficiency-based system. The caller strategy takes into relationship conveyance manufacturers' wide technological capabilities, contributions to the country's proviso chain, compliance with home biology regulations, information management, and minimum standards for after-sales services.

BMW slipped into 2nd spot aft its income roseate by conscionable implicit 2% to 39,150 units successful the six-month period, portion its Mini subsidiary saw its income emergence by 20% to 4,091 units. Together, the 2 brands accounted for conscionable implicit 23% of full import income year-to-date. BMW precocious introduced its caller battery-powered iX3 SUV, based connected the company's caller 'Neue Klasse' platform.

Mercedes-Benz's income fell by 9% to 29,776 units, contempt the motorboat of a caller merchandise violative earlier successful the year. The company, which led the South Korean import conception conscionable a fewer years ago, plans to bring successful 10 caller and facelifted models successful 2026 arsenic it looks to fortify its electrified conveyance line-up.

Volkswagen Group reported an 8% income emergence to 14,775 units year-to-date, led by beardown request for Audi and Porsche models. Porsche is presently expanding its income web and plans to motorboat much than 10 caller models successful the state this year. Toyota's income accrued by 15% to 5,187 units, portion its Lexus part reported a 3% summation to 7,819 units.