South Korean automakers saw a sharp decline in domestic sales in January 2025 due to a combination of continued sluggish domestic demand and a reduced number of working days for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Hyundai Motor Co. announced on Monday that it sold 310,399 vehicles globally in January, down 2.3 percent year-on-year. Domestic sales in particular fell 7.5 percent year-on-year to 46,054 units.

January sales figures tend to fluctuate significantly due to the reduced number of working days during the Lunar New Year holiday. However, the 2025 figure is substantial, even taking this variable into account.

Hyundai’s domestic sales for January 2025 were the lowest since January 2017, when the company sold 45,100 units. Kia Corp. also saw a 13.9 percent year-on-year drop in domestic sales, with 38,403 units sold.

Among Hyundai’s domestic models, the Grandeur sedan was the best-selling vehicle, with 5,711 units sold, while Kia’s top-selling model was the Sorento SUV, which recorded 7,454 units.

In terms of exports, Hyundai and Kia showed contrasting trends, with Hyundai exporting 264,345 units in January, down 1.4 percent year-on-year, while Kia exported 200,993 units, up 0.1 percent year-on-year.

Renault Korea Motors Co., in the meantime, reported domestic sales of 2,601 units in January, marking a 58.1 percent year-on-year increase. However, its sales volume, which had been increasing month-on-month due to the popularity of the Grand Koleos, declined month-on-month in January.

GM Korea Co. also saw a 57.5 percent decrease in domestic sales, with its flagship models, the Trax Crossover and Trailblazer, experiencing declines of over 50 percent. KG Mobility Corp. sold 3,762 units domestically in January, a 38.9 percent decrease compared to the same period a year ago.

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