Even amid a general decline in domestic auto exports last month, Kia and GM Korea (hereinafter referred to as GM Korea) showed notable sales growth. Hyundai Motor also appears to be gradually overcoming its sluggish performance.
According to the automotive industry on the 1st, among five major domestic automakers, Kia and GM Korea saw their global (domestic and overseas) sales in September increase year-on-year, while Hyundai Motor, Renault Korea, and KG Mobility experienced declines. This was due to a reduction in operating days caused by the Chuseok holiday, which led to auto exports last month falling 5.5% year-on-year to $6.05 billion, as well as continued domestic market weakness.
Kia sold 281,984 units in September, a 5.1% increase from the same period last year. Domestic sales decreased by 6.7%, but overseas sales rose by 7.5%. In particular, Kia sold a total of 846,764 units in the global market during the third quarter (July–September), setting an all-time record for the quarter. Overseas sales grew by 8.9%, driving overall performance. The previous record for the highest third-quarter sales was 785,137 units in 2025.
A Kia official stated, "We recorded our highest-ever third-quarter sales as we maintained strong sales momentum through a strategy tailored to differentiated demand for electrified vehicles by region overseas." The official emphasized, "In the fourth quarter, we will continue our sales growth trend with the HYBE Lead in the U.S. and electric vehicles in Europe."
Hyundai Motor’s global sales last month totaled 307,998 units, a 16.0% decrease compared to the same month last year. Domestic and overseas sales fell by 25.7% and 13.9%, respectively. However, compared to the previous month (August), global sales increased by 5.5%, indicating a gradual recovery from sluggish performance.
A Hyundai Motor official said, "September was affected by a reduction in operating days due to the Chuseok holiday and pending demand for new models." The official added, "We will continue to introduce new vehicles with excellent product appeal, such as the All-New Tucson, to expand sales."
GM Korea sold a total of 41,101 units in September, comprising 727 domestic units and 40,374 overseas units. Total sales increased by 73.3% compared to the same month last year. This was because domestic sales fell by 40.9%, while exports rose by 79.5%.
KG Mobility sold 8,863 units last month, a 16.7% decrease from the same period last year. Exports increased by 3.5% to 6,763 units, but domestic sales dropped by 48.8% to 2,100 units. Renault Korea sold 6,556 units in September, a 24.7% decrease from the same period last year. However, this figure represented a 53.9% increase compared to the previous month.
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