Seoul – Mini‑car sales in South Korea are slipping again, falling below 100,000 units for a second straight year in 2025, data from the country’s five biggest automakers show.
From January to October, Hyundai, Kia, GM Korea, Renault Korea Motors and KG Mobility sold just 60,004 mini cars—a 27 percent drop from the 82,485 sold last year. If the trend keeps going, total sales could hover around 70,000 this year, a record low, Yonhap news agency reports.
The decline comes after GM Korea stopped making the Chevrolet Spark last year, pushing the industry’s yearly mini‑car output under 100,000 for the first time. In 2024, GM Korea sold 98,743 mini cars, but it’s no longer a major player in the segment.
Current models on sale include Hyundai’s Casper and Kia’s Ray and Morning. There are few new models in the pipeline, and several launches have been delayed. Consumers are gravitating toward small sport‑utility vehicles (SUVs) as outdoor leisure—camping, fishing, road trips—spring back in popularity.
An industry official said, “Mini‑car sales remain sluggish because no new models are scheduled for release at the moment.”
Despite weak new‑car demand, used‑car sales stay strong. In the latest used‑car rankings, Kia’s Morning was the top seller, followed by GM’s Spark and Kia’s Ray, Carisyou data shows.
Meanwhile, the middle‑market trio—Renault Korea, KG Mobility and GM Korea—have also struggled. Their combined sales in the first nine months of 2025 topped only 82,464 units, down from 109,101 in 2024. Analysts warn that their annual sales might stay near the 100,000‑unit mark, another low point for the sector.
For now, Hyundai, Kia and the other domestic makers are looking to new product launches and shifting consumer tastes to lift mini‑car sales back up again.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
