Kia to sweep top three spots in Korea car sales on SUV, hybrid boom

Kia Corp., South Korea’s No. 2 automaker, is poised to claim the top three spots on the country’s best-selling car list this year thanks to the growing popularity of sport utility vehicles (SUV) and hybrid models.

Kia’s mid-size SUV Sorento topped the list with domestic sales of 67,314 units in the first nine months of 2024, followed by its Carnival minivan with 62,352 units and its compact SUV Sportage with 56,063 units, according to data from five local carmakers on Monday. All of the models have hybrid trims.

The Sorento is likely to become the country's top-selling SUV as SUVs and hybrids grow ever more popular amid a prolonged slowdown in electric vehicle sales, industry sources said.

“The increasing preference for SUVs and hybrids has boosted interest in Kia’s cars, which meet customers' needs,” said one industry source.

HYUNDAI SANTA FE, PORTER, GRANDEUR FOLLOW

Kia’s outperformance was seen as unusual as its affiliate Hyundai Motor Co. had claimed the top three spots since 2000 with its popular sedans including its flagship Grandeur, mid-size Sonata and compact Avante. The Grandeur and the Avante are sold as the Azera and the Elantra, respectively, in overseas markets.

Hyundai, South Korea’s No. 1 automaker, placed its models at fourth, fifth and sixth place on the domestic best-selling car list for the Jan.-Sept. period.

The Santa Fe mid-size SUV ranked fourth, with sales of 56,042 units, while the Porter cargo truck took fifth with 53,365 units and the Grandeur sixth with 51,964 units.

The Sportage was expected to stay ahead of the Santa Fe for the rest of this year as Kia plans to unveil a facelift of the compact SUV in the fourth quarter, industry sources said.

Write to Jin-Won Kim at jin1@hankyung.com
 
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.