In brief
In October, South Korea saw a 29.3% jump in imported passenger‑car registrations to 31,117, led by electric‑vehicle demand and German luxury models. Tesla sold 9,165 units, topping other foreign manufacturers. Battery‑electric vehicles accounted for 46.4% of sales, almost matching hybrids at 45.9%.
South Korea’s imported passenger‑car registrations jumped 29.3 % in October to 31,117, driven by electric‑vehicle demand and German luxury models, Xinhua reported on Nov. 4.
For the first ten months of 2026, 310,846 imported vehicles were sold, up 24.6 % compared to the same period of last year, the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association said.
Tesla topped foreign‑maker sales with 9,165 units, followed by Mercedes‑Benz with 6,744 units, BMW 5,633 units, Volvo 1,682 units and Chinese automaker BYD 1,594 units, Xinhua reported.
European models accounted for 56.5% of the total 31,117 registrations, with U.S., Japanese and Chinese brands holding 30.0%, 8.0% and 5.5% market shares respectively.
By fuel type, battery‑electric vehicles accounted for 46.4% of sales, followed by hybrid vehicles at 45.9%, gasoline vehicles 6.8% and diesel 0.9%.
"South Korea’s imported car sales jumped in double digits in October, driven by explosive demand for electric vehicles and German luxury models," Xinhua noted.
South Korea’s imported car sales jumped in double digits in October, driven by explosive demand for electric vehicles and German luxury models.
This surge reflects a continued shift toward EVs, with battery‑powered vehicles nearly matching hybrids in share, a trend that experts expect to accelerate as the market evolves.
