How much has the market share of imported vehicles grown in Korea compared to the previous year?

The market share of imported vehicles in Korea rose to 15.1 percent in the first nine months of 2017. This is an increase from 14.6 percent during the same period in the previous year.

Automotive

Mercedes-Benz retains No. 1 foreign car brand in Korea for 4 straight month

By Sarah ChenKorea

1 min readUpdated Jun 4, 2025Oct 25, 20172:32 AM

In this article (4)

Mercedes-Benz has successfully defended its dominance as the largest foreign car seller in the Korean imported car market for four straight months in September 2017.

But, the BMW 520d has held the lead as the best-selling model for two consecutive months after it snatched the crown from Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class sedan in August 2017.

According to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA) on Oct 13, a total of 20,234 imported vehicles were sold in September, up 20.6 percent from a year ago and 15.3 percent from a month ago.

By brand, Mercedes-Benz ranked first after selling 5,606 units. It was followed by BMW (5,299 units), Land Rover (1,323 units), Lexus (1,128 units), Honda (1,022 units), MINI (933 units), Ford (832 units), Chrysler (767 units), Toyota (755 units), Nissan (541 units), Volvo (466 units) Jaguar (414 units) and Peugeot (306 units), according to KAIDA data.

Land Rover was the most noticeable among them as it has moved up four notches to the third largest seller only in a month thanks to the Discovery Sport TD4 that sold 600 units.

The best-selling model in September 2017 was BMW 520d, delivering 1,382 units, followed by BMW 520d xDrive with 886 units and Mercedes-Benz’s E200 with 854 units.

Six out of 10 imported vehicles sold in Korea last month were from Germany, the statement said, and seven out of 10 imported vehicles sold during the first nine months of the year were from Europe.

The share of imported vehicles in the Korean passenger car market rose to 15.1 percent in the first nine months of the year from 14.6 percent during the same period last year, an association spokeswoman said.

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What this means

Mercedes-Benz's continued lead in Korea's imported car market signals robust brand loyalty, yet BMW’s model-level dominance with the 520d highlights intensifying competitive dynamics. This mirrors a broader trend where challenger models can rapidly gain traction, much like Land Rover’s four-notch ascent. While Mercedes-Benz has consistently performed well in the luxury segment across Asia, BMW's targeted product offensive puts direct pressure on its rival's core offerings. The underlying growth of imported vehicles in Korea, reaching 15.1% market share, suggests ample opportunity but also fierce competition for premium brands. We should monitor sales figures for the E-Class versus the BMW 520d in Q4 2017 to assess any lasting impact on brand perception.

Sarah Chen · Retail News Asia newsroom

Questions & Answers

Which specific Mercedes-Benz model was the best-selling E-Class variant mentioned in September?

The Mercedes-Benz E200 was the specific E-Class variant mentioned, selling 854 units in September 2017. This model was the third best-selling overall imported vehicle that month.

What percentage of imported cars sold in Korea during the first nine months of the year were from Europe?

Seven out of every ten imported vehicles sold in Korea during the first nine months of 2017 were from Europe. This indicates a significant European presence in the market.

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