*This content was translated by AI.
The domestic imported passenger car market recorded rapid growth, driven by the shift to electrification and Tesla’s dominant position. According to the Korea Automobile Importers Association (KAIDA), new registrations of imported passenger cars in September 2026 totaled 34,904 units, a 17.1% increase from the previous month and a 6.3% increase year-on-year. In particular, cumulative registrations from January to September reached 279,729 units, surging 24.1% compared to the same period last year, proving a structural transformation in the imported car market. This rebound is analyzed as the result of major brands’ aggressive securing of inventory, the launch of various new models, and intensive marketing efforts.
The most notable feature of this September performance was the maximization of market dominance for eco-friendly vehicles centered on electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. In terms of registrations by fuel type, electric vehicles surpassed the majority with 18,181 units (52.1%), while hybrids recorded 13,620 units (39.0%), meaning these two fuel types captured 91.1% of the entire imported car market. Conversely, traditional internal combustion engines—gasoline (8.2%) and diesel (0.7%)—saw their positions shrink sharply, effectively being pushed to the periphery.
Sales rankings by brand and model clearly reflect this industrial landscape shift. Tesla sold a whopping 12,372 units to take an overwhelming first place, leaving behind the traditional German premium duopoly of BMW (6,066 units) and Mercedes-Benz (5,477 units) by a wide margin. In the best-selling model rankings as well, Tesla Model Y L (8,690 units) in first place and Tesla Model Y Premium (2,467 units) in second place led the market, followed by the Mercedes-Benz E 200 (2,133 units).
A particularly noteworthy point is the full-scale acceleration of China’s electric vehicle offensive. BYD secured fourth place with 2,614 units, surging into the upper ranks by overtaking established players such as Volvo (1,414 units) and Lexus (1,064 units). In terms of market share by country, the United States (36.1%) and China (7.6%) recorded a sharp upward trend following Europe (50.4%). While a clear preference for eco-friendly vehicles was evident across both individual purchases (66.8%) and corporate purchases (33.2%), the imported car market is being completely restructured, moving entirely beyond dependence on traditional internal combustion engines toward a system led by electrification and emerging manufacturers.
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*This content was translated by AI.
