Tesla Model Y Tops Korean Imported Car Sales for Fourth Month, Challenges Overall Market Lead

The Korean automotive market is undergoing a rapid transformation, increasingly centering on electric vehicles amid prolonged high fuel prices. Tesla's Model Y has emerged as a dominant force, even challenging for the top spot in overall monthly sales in the domestic market.

According to industry data, Tesla's Model Y premium variant sold 7,195 units in May. This figure made it the second best-selling single model in Korea, closely following the Kia Sorento, which recorded 7,836 sales. When the sales of the Model Y's long-body version, the Model Y L (1,513 units), are combined, Tesla's total surpasses that of the Sorento. This achievement could mark a historic first: an imported car model topping the monthly sales charts in Korea since the market opened in 1987.

Tesla's strong performance continued as the brand maintained its position as the leading imported car brand in Korea for the fourth consecutive month, with a total of 10,866 vehicles sold in May. Adding to the momentum of electric vehicles, Chinese automaker BYD also achieved significant sales, exceeding 1,000 units for the third consecutive month. This placed BYD's monthly sales at sixth overall, indicating a growing presence of Chinese EV manufacturers in the Korean market.