In South Korea, sales of imported vehicles decreased by 5.7 percent in September compared to the same period the year before. This was due to a longer Chuseok holiday, which ran from September 28th to October 3rd, and the fact that customers were waiting for the launch of new models, such as the BMW 5 series sedan, which was released on the 5th of September. The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) reported that 22,565 units were registered in September, compared to 23,928 units the year prior.
The top three selling models in September were the Mercedes-Benz E 250 sedan, the Mercedes-Benz E350 sedan, and the BMW 320 sedan. German brands accounted for 73 percent of imported cars sold in South Korea, up from 69 percent the year before. Japanese brands Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp., and Lexus sold 1,733 units, a 4 percent drop from 1,805 the year before.
The imported brands’ market share of the South Korean passenger vehicle market in August was 20.45 percent, a decrease from 21.86 percent the year before. The market share for September has yet to be released.
This file photo shows BMW's new 5 series sedan displayed during the new model's launching event held at the BMW Driving Center on Yeongjong Island, Incheon, on Sept. 5, 2023. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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