A parking lot for mini cars. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 3 (Korea Bizwire) — The size of vehicles in all categories, except for mini cars, is increasing compared to the past, indicating a strong preference among local consumers for larger cars.
According to local market tracker CarIsYou, the overall length and width of vehicles registered in South Korea during the January to May period of this year increased by 17-150 millimeters and 31-92 millimeters, respectively (excluding mini cars), compared to 2012.
Among the top 10 local models in terms of new registrations, the larger models showed a noticeable increase in size.
In 2012, Hyundai Motor Co.’s Avante compact ranked first in terms of new registrations, while three mini cars—Kia Corp.’s Morning, GM Korea Co.’s Chevrolet Spark, and Kia Ray—were also included in the top 10 list.
In contrast, only one mini car, the Kia Ray at No. 8, was included in the top 10 ranking for the January to May period of this year.
Hyundai’s Grandeur ranked first, followed by the Kia Carnival. The Genesis G80, Hyundai Palisade, and Kia K8 were also included in the top 10 list.
The average length and width of the top 10 local models in 2012 were 4,343 mm and 1,764.5 mm, respectively, while in 2023, they stood at 4,735 mm and 1,870 mm, respectively.
“Car buyers are making choices that go against the domestic situation characterized by limited parking spaces,” said CarIsYou.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
