[Consumerwide - HueSoung Jun Reporter / Yohan Bok Reporter]  There has been a strong trend of environmental car consumption in the Korean car market during 2023. The sales record of disel has decreased; instead, the sales record of hybrid cars, which are known to be clean, has increased remarkably by recording over 0.3 million units.

On the 21st, according to the Carisyoudatalab, the sales record of passengers' cars between January and November was as follows (fuel category in accumulated basis): Gasoline: 828,554 (1st), diesel: 288,834 (2nd), hybrid: 283,365, and electric: 149,939 (4th). However, it is possible that hybrids will overtake diesel by the end of December on an accumulated basis, considering the growing rate of hybrids since August in new car sales.

The sales record of hybrid vehicles has rapidly grown to 47.34% this year compared to the same season last year (192,315), and it will go over 0.3 million by the end of the year. It can be interpreted as meaning that consumers who perceive hybrids as clean will keep purchasing hybrids, which eventually led to the growth of sales of hybrid cars.

In particular, the sales record of hybrids according to car classification is as follows: sub-full-size sedans of Hyundai 56,555; mid-size SUVs of Kia 51,556; sub-mid-size SUVs of Kia 29,343; sub-full-size sedans of Kia 24,822; and mid-size SUVs of Hyundai 23,496.

In the domestic brand category, Hyundai and Kia took the top ten. In the overseas brand category, hybrid new car sales were remarkable. Between January and November, the midsize sedan of Lexus took the top spot in the new hybrid car sales competition (accumulated basis). Particularly, a Japanese brand stood out, with Toyota Motor Korea taking the top five. (Lexus and Toyota). Earlier, Japanese brands had been leading the hybrid car market while they released hybrid car models in Korea. Since then, they have experienced the No Japan Boycott until a couple of years ago. Today, powered by the rising demand for hybrid models, the Japanese brand recorded 13,933 between January and October, which is a 35.5% increase from the same season last year. This trend might continue even in the coming year. One of the Kia Hybid models, "the mini van," released recently, has attracted Korean customers as much as it takes over a year for delivery. This is considered quite long compared to the gasoline and diesel deliveries. (3~4 months) There were 34,360 reservations on the first day during the reservation period, and the hybrid model took 93%. It's known that it also takes almost one year to deliver the hybrid mid-SUV of Hyundai and the mid-SUV of Kia from the point of order.

Thus, it's been predicted that hybrids will lead automation in 2024 due to charging infrastructure and price competitiveness in the Korean market.