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Imported passenger cars in Korea reach record monthly high

Published: 10 Oct. 2025, 17:42 Updated: 10 Oct. 2025, 18:07

Tesla's EV Model Y, code-named Project Juniper [SCREEN CAPTURE]

More than 32,000 imported passenger cars were newly registered in Korea last month, setting a new monthly record since the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (Kaida) began tracking the data in 2003 based on registrations by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Analysts say the sharp growth was driven by strong sales of EVs, particularly from Tesla, and the impact of new model launches across various brands.

A total of 32,834 imported passenger cars were registered in September, marking a 20.3 percent increase from the previous month’s 27,304 and a 32.2 percent rise from the same month a year earlier, when 24,389 were registered, according to Kaida data released Friday.

The figure surpasses the previous monthly record of 31,419 units in December 2020 by more than 1,400.

Chinese manufacturer BYD's Sealion 7 EV [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Tesla Model Y leads the charge

Tesla led the surge in imported car sales. The American EV maker launched its revamped Model Y — code-named Project Juniper — in Korea in April, with deliveries beginning in May.

Since then, the Model Y has topped monthly best-seller lists for imported models, starting with 4,961 units in May, then 6,559 in July, and 7,383 in September — widening the gap with the second-place model, which hovers around 2,000 units per month.

Tesla’s dominance is also evident in cumulative sales. A total of 225,348 imported passenger cars were registered in Korea from January through September this year, up 15.7 percent from 194,731 units during the same period last year.

Of those, 43,612 were Teslas — nearly double the 23,617 units registered during the first nine months of last year. This means two-thirds of the 30,617-unit growth in imported car sales came from Tesla alone.

Tesla's EV Model Y, code-named Project Juniper [SCREEN CAPTURE]

BYD crosses 1,000 monthly units

Other new releases also contributed to the surge, including models from Chinese EV manufacturer BYD. In September, BYD registered 1,020 units in Korea — its first time surpassing the 1,000-unit monthly mark since entering the market in March.

The boost came largely from the Sealion 7, a mid-sized SUV that began deliveries last month. With 825 units registered in September, the model ranked sixth among the best-selling imported vehicles.

BYD recorded a total of 2,967 registrations from January through September, capturing a 1.32 percent share of the imported passenger car market.

“Smooth supply of certain models, the effect of new releases, and aggressive marketing were key factors,” said Kaida Vice Chairman Jung Yoon-young.

Meanwhile, electric vehicles accounted for nearly four in 10 imported cars sold last month. With EVs such as Tesla’s Model Y and BYD’s Sealion 7 leading the charge in the midsize SUV segment, a total of 12,989 imported EVs were registered in September, representing 39.3 percent of all imported passenger car sales.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE SU-JEONG [[email protected]]