Sales of GM Korea, Renault Korea Motors dip on weak domestic demand, sluggish exports

Seoul, Jan 5 GM Korea, the South Korean unit of General Motors, said on Monday that its annual sales dipped 7.5 per cent in 2025 from a year earlier, with sales slipping both at home and abroad.

The company sold 462,310 vehicles last year, down from 499,559 units posted in 2024, the company said in a release, reports Yonhap news agency.

Domestic sales plunged 39.2 per cent on-year to 15,094 units, and exports moved down 5.8 per cent to 447,216 units.

In December alone, the carmaker's domestic sales came to 1,142 units, down 36.6 per cent from the previous year, while exports edged down 0.3 per cent to 51,358 units.

"In 2026, GM will continue to expand its brand presence in Korea by introducing a diverse lineup of GMC and Buick models for Korean customers, while consistently delivering high-quality services through our collaborative service network," Gustavo Colossi, GM Korea's vice president of sales and services, said in the release.

Meanwhile, Renault Korea Motors, the South Korean unit of Renault S.A., said on Monday that its annual sales fell 17.7 per cent from a year earlier in 2025 due mainly to sluggish exports.

Renault Korea sold a combined 88,044 vehicles in 2025, down from 106,939 units a year earlier, the company said in a press release.

Domestic sales jumped 31.3 per cent on-year to 52,271 units, while exports plunged 46.7 percent to 35,773 units.

Renault Korea attributed the strong domestic performance to an 85.5 percent on-year surge in sales of the Grand Koleos sport utility vehicle (SUV).

However, exports of the Arkana and QM6 SUVs dropped 54 percent and 96.2 percent, respectively, weighing heavily on overall performance.

Renault Korea said its exports are expected rebound in the new year as shipments of the Polestar 4 electric SUV will begin in earnest.

Renault Korea began full-scale contract manufacturing of the Polestar 4 at its Busan plant last year.

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