GM Korea Sales Decrease 24 Percent In October 2019

November 13, 2019 2:08 pm

GM Korea sales decreased 24 percent to 6,485 units in October 2019 compared to October 2018 results. Sales fell for the two GM brands offered in South Korea, Chevrolet and Cadillac.

Chevrolet sales decreased 23 percent 6,394 units:

Chevrolet Bolt EV sales increased 3664.71 percent to 640 units
Chevrolet Camaro sales increased 62.5 percent to 13 units
Chevrolet Colorado sales totaled 143 units
Chevrolet Damas sales decreased 21.9 percent to 271 units
- The Damas is a small van originally introduced by Daewoo, which GM subsequently bought in the late 1990s
Chevrolet Equinox sales decreased 24.87 percent to 142 units
Chevrolet Impala sales increased 48.35 percent to 135 units
Chevrolet Labo sales decreased 18.26 percent to 273 units
- The Labo is a line of small vans and pickups introduced by Daewoo, which GM subsequently bought in the late 1990s
Chevrolet Malibu sales decreased 62.71 percent to 723 units
Chevrolet Spark sales decreased 20.16 percent to 2,979 units
Chevrolet Trax sales decreased 37.68 percent to 971 units
The Chevrolet Aveo, Cruze, Orlando, Captiva and Volt were discontinued in South Korea

Cadillac sales decreased 65 percent to 91 units:

Cadillac ATS sales decreased 96.77 percent to 1 units
- The vehicle has been discontinued and is being replaced by the CT4 on the low end and CT5 on the high end
Cadillac CT6 sales decreased 76.52 percent to 31 units
Cadillac CTS sales decreased 52.78 percent to 17 units
- The vehicle has been discontinued and is being replaced by the CT5 on the low end and CT6 on the high end
Cadillac Escalade sales decreased 38.46 percent to 8 units
Cadillac XT4 sales have not yet commenced in Korea
Cadillac XT5 sales decreased 27.66 percent to 34 units
The Cadillac XTS and Escalade ESV are not offered in South Korea

In the first ten months of 2019, GM Korea sales decreased 19 percent to 61,756 units.

Sales Results - October 2019 - South Korea - Chevrolet

MODEL	OCT 2019 / OCT 2018	OCTOBER 2019	OCTOBER 2018	YTD 2019 / YTD 2018	YTD 2019	YTD 2018
BOLT EV	+3,664.71%	640	17	-36.27%	3,003	4,712
CAMARO	+62.50%	13	8	-5.13%	148	156
COLORADO	*	143	*	*	143	*
DAMAS	-21.90%	271	347	-9.21%	2,859	3,149
EQUINOX	-24.87%	142	189	+71.06%	1,791	1,047
IMPALA	+48.35%	135	91	-52.86%	576	1,222
LABO	-18.26%	273	334	-11.53%	2,853	3,225
MALIBU	-62.71%	723	1,939	-24.91%	10,199	13,582
SPARK	-20.16%	2,979	3,731	-7.28%	28,420	30,651
TRAX	-37.68%	971	1,558	+7.47%	10,117	9,414
CHEVROLET TOTAL	-22.71%	6,394	8,273	-19.13%	60,328	74,595

Sales Results - October 2019 - South Korea - Cadillac

MODEL	OCT 2019 / OCT 2018	OCTOBER 2019	OCTOBER 2018	YTD 2019 / YTD 2018	YTD 2019	YTD 2018
ATS	-96.77%	1	31	-56.49%	67	154
CT6	-76.52%	31	132	-38.34%	439	712
CTS	-52.78%	17	36	+8.98%	182	167
ESCALADE	-38.46%	8	13	+37.70%	263	191
XT5	-27.66%	34	47	+4.84%	477	455
CADILLAC TOTAL	-64.86%	91	259	-14.95%	1,428	1,679

Sales Results - October 2019 - South Korea - GM Totals

BRAND	OCT 2019 / OCT 2018	OCTOBER 2019	OCTOBER 2018	YTD 2019 / YTD 2018	YTD 2019	YTD 2018
CHEVROLET TOTAL	-22.71%	6,394	8,273	-19.13%	60,328	74,595
CADILLAC TOTAL	-64.86%	91	259	-14.95%	1,428	1,679
GM SOUTH KOREA TOTAL	-23.99%	6,485	8,532	-19.03%	61,756	76,274

The GM Authority Take

GM Korea sales have decreased considerably through the month of October, marking the sixth consecutive month during which the automaker recorded a double-digit drop. Chevrolet suffered yet another significant decline in South Korea, while Cadillac sold almost three times fewer units compared to October 2018.

Eleven of the fifteen models GM offers in Korea have seen their sales decrease. That includes the Chevrolet Spark, the company’s strongest seller in the country. In fact, all Cadillac models and every locally manufactured Chevy model posted a double-digit drop in sales compared to October 2018. Interestingly, only a few imported models – the Bolt EV, the Camaro and the Impala – registered positive year-over-year sales numbers for the month.

On a final note, October was the first month of sales in Korea for the Chevrolet Colorado, registering 143 unit sales. The midsize pickup is the first true American truck to enter the South Korean market, which GM hopes will help improve both its sales numbers and its brand image in the country.