2018년 수입차 26만705대 판매, 승용차 시장 점유율 16.7%.<br /><br />It seems South Korean's preference for imported cars is growing. <br />Industry watchers say the number of foreign-made vehicles sold in the country hit a record high last year. <br />Oh Soo-young help us look beyond the digits. <br />More imported cars were sold in Korea last year than ever before,... and they're taking up a growing share of the local auto market.<br />The Korea Automobile Importers and Dealers Association said Friday that the number of newly registered imported cars topped 260-thousand last year,... up by 11-point-eight percent from 2017.<br />Mercedes-Benz was the top choice among Koreans for the third consecutive year, with more than 70-thousand vehicles registered in 2018.<br />Its E300 4Matic was the best selling foreign car, with around 9-thousand sales.<br />BMW remained in second place, although the company's sales declined substantially after a spate of vehicles caught fire throughout the year.<br />Japanese brands including Toyota and Lexus also ranked among the top five,... thanks to a boost in sales of hybrid models. <br />Hybrid cars in general saw a surge in popularity -- jumping 33 percent on year -- although gasoline and diesel cars took up most of the sales.<br />By region, it's clear that Korean drivers still prefer European vehicles,... which accounted for more than 70 percent of imported cars registered last year.<br />Japanese and U.S.-made cars were the second and third most popular. <br />The number of foreign-made vehicles in Korea has been consistently growing,... taking up an estimated 16-point-seven percent of the domestic auto market,... up by one-point-five percentage points from 2017 -- the highest-ever annual growth rate.<br />Oh Soo-young, Arirang News. <br />
