[Consumerwide - HueSoung Jun Reporter / Yohan Bok Reporter]  Kia and BMW took the top spot in each domestic and overseas new passenger's car sales category in 2023. It was a remarkable change for BMW, taking first place after 8 years while also taking 3rd and 4th places. There was not much change among domestic brands. In the commercial car category, there was a fast growth in Chinese brands. According to Carisyoudatalab, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributers Association, on January 5, 2023, 1,459,460 domestic brand cars were registered, which was a 5.5 percent increase from a year prior, while 292,915 overseas brand cars were registered, which was a 2.7% decrease from a year before.

Kia took the top spot in passengers' car sales in domestic brand competition... Hyundai won the top spot in commercial car sales.

1,225,023 Korean new passenger' cars were sold, which was a 6% increase from a year ago, and 234,437 Korean new commercial cars were sold, which was a 2.7% increase, during last year. Kia took the top spot in passengers' car competition by 500,015 units, which was a 6.3% increase from a year prior, and Hyundai by 471,187, which was a radical enhancement compared to a year prior by 19.5% yet not as much as taking over Kia. Genesis took third with 128,913 units, KG Mobility took fourth with 63,966 units, Chevrolet took fifth with 38,165 units, and Renault took sixth with 22,460 units. In the growth rate aspect, Hyundai was at the top, recording +19.5% compared to a year prior in sales records. The growth rates of the rest of the brands were Kia +6.3%, Chevrolet +2.4%, KG Mobility -4%, Genesis -3.1%, and Renault -57.0%, which was half of the record from a year prior. The most selling brands were Hyundai at 160,997, which was a 9.5% increase from a year prior; Kia at 63,560; Tata Daewoo commercial cars at 3,862; and Renault Korea at 210 among domestic commercial brands last year.

BMW took the top spot after 8 years in overseas sales competition... There had been a strong Chinese trend in commercial car sales.

There has been a big change since BMW won the top spot after eight years of passengers' new car sales competition by recording 77,396 units last year. Benz took the second spot at 76,674 units. A furious competition took place between Audi and Volvo for 3rd and 4th places in the overseas new car sales market. Unfortunately, Kudeta of Volvo has failed by missing 849 units. Many predicted that Volvo would take over Audi in early December last year. Eventually, Audi won the third crown by recording 17,868, while Volvo recorded 17,019, which was only 848 units less. Nevertheless, concerning the trend, Volvo still has a possibility of winning over Audi. Enjoying the winner's moment by succeeding the market with Model Y, which is an electric model at low cost, Tesla won fifth place by recording 16,461 units in sales. The sales record of Lexus was 13,560, which was a remarkable 78.6% increase from a year prior, Porsche 11,379, and Volkswagen 10,249. Unluckly, Mini and Toyota could not enter the 10,000 sales club this time by recording 9,535 units and 8,500 units, which was a 35.6% increase from a year prior. A strong Chinese trend wipped the overseas commercial car market in Korea. Volvo took the top spot by recording 1,267 units in new overseas commercial car sales last year. Brilliance Auto Group (Shenyang), a Chinese brand, took the second spot by recording 1,064 units, which was a 501.1% increase from a year prior. The rest of the sales ranks are as follows: Benz 924 units (3rd), Scania 858 units (4th), Man 703 units (6th), and another Chinese brand, BYD Auto, 652 units (7th), which is a 624.4% increase from a year prior. Geely, which brand entered the Korean market for the first time, seemed to be successfully settling in Korea by recording 850 units (5th). Dongfeng Xiaokang Automobile, which had a hot trend, recorded 577 units (8th), which was a 52.4% decrease from a year prior.