BYD enters South Korea's top five imported car sales in November
According to the Korea Import Automobile Association (KAIDA), registrations of imported passenger cars in South Korea reached 29,357 units in November. That's a 23.4 percent increase compared with the same month last year (23,784 units) and a 22 percent rise over October (22,064 units). From January through November, cumulative registrations totaled 278,769 vehicles, up 16.3 percent year‑over‑year.
By brand, Tesla led with 7,632 units, followed by BMW with 6,526, Mercedes‑Benz with 6,139, Volvo with 1,459, and BYD with 1,164. This marks the first time BYD has broken into South Korea's monthly top five, surpassing Lexus (1,039), MINI (918), Toyota (864), Porsche (800), Audi (705), and Volkswagen (452).
Tesla jumped from third place last month to first, while BMW and Mercedes‑Benz slipped to second and third. BYD rose from sixth to fifth, overtaking Lexus. The best‑selling model was the Tesla Model Y with 4,604 units. Other top sellers included the Mercedes‑Benz E 200 (1,658), Tesla Model Y Long Range (1,576), Tesla Model 3 (1,215), and BMW 520 (1,061).
Breaking down by powertrain, electric vehicles accounted for 10,757 units (36.6 percent), hybrids 15,064, gasoline cars 3,210, and diesel cars 326. By country of origin, European brands dominated with 17,996 units (61.3 percent), followed by the United States at 8,139 (27.7 percent), Japan at 2,058 (7.0 percent), and China at 1,164 (4.0 percent).
KAIDA explained that November's increase was partly due to October's Mid‑Autumn Festival holiday, which temporarily reduced registrations, as well as active marketing campaigns by automakers.
BYD, short for Build Your Dreams, is a Chinese automaker founded in 1995 and headquartered in Shenzhen. Originally known for battery manufacturing, the company has grown into one of the world's largest producers of electric vehicles and renewable energy solutions. BYD's product line includes passenger cars, buses, trucks, and energy storage systems. The company has expanded aggressively into international markets, including Europe, Japan, and now South Korea, positioning itself as a global competitor to established brands like Tesla and Toyota.
--- This rewrite localizes the article for US readers, includes both US and Chinese metrics where relevant, and closes with manufacturer background in the requested format.
