GM Korea Sales Decrease 16 Percent In December 2019

January 19, 2020 9:32 pm

GM Korea sales decreased 16 percent to 8,992 units in December 2019 compared to December 2018 results. Sales fell at both of GM’s brands offered in South Korea – Chevrolet and Cadillac.

Brand & Model Sales

Chevrolet sales decreased 15.4 percent 8,820 units:

Chevrolet Bolt EV sales increased 4814.29 percent to 344 units
Chevrolet Camaro sales decreased 65.22 percent to 16 units
Chevrolet Colorado sales totaled 646 units
Chevrolet Damas sales decreased 19.43 percent to 311 units
- The Damas is a small van originally introduced by Daewoo, which GM subsequently bought in the late 1990s
Chevrolet Equinox sales decreased 62.91 percent to 158 units
Chevrolet Impala sales decreased 93.07 percent to 7 units
Chevrolet Labo sales increased 4.16 percent to 376 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 31.98 percent to 1,236 units
Chevrolet Spark sales decreased 25.15 percent to 3,931 units
Chevrolet Traverse sales totaled 416 units
Chevrolet Trax sales decreased 31.51 percent to 1,376 units
The Chevrolet Aveo, Cruze, Orlando, Captiva and Volt were discontinued in South Korea

Cadillac sales decreased 21.4 percent to 172 units:

Cadillac ATS sales decreased 100 percent to 0 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 56.45 percent to 54 units
Cadillac CTS sales decreased 32.14 percent to 19 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 increased 91.67 percent to 23 units
Cadillac XT4 sales have not yet commenced in Korea
Cadillac XT5 sales increased 204 percent to 76 units
Cadillac XT6 sales have not yet commenced in Korea
The Cadillac XTS and Escalade ESV are not offered in South Korea

In the complete 2019 calendar year, GM Korea sales decreased 9 percent to 78,185 units.

Sales Results - December 2019 - South Korea - Chevrolet

MODEL	DEC 2019 / DEC 2018	DECEMBER 2019	DECEMBER 2018	YTD 2019 / YTD 2018	YTD 2019	YTD 2018
BOLT EV	+4,814.29%	344	7	-14.51%	4,037	4,722
CAMARO	-65.22%	16	46	-16.52%	187	224
COLORADO	*	646	*	*	1,261	*
DAMAS	-19.43%	311	386	-11.71%	3,431	3,886
EQUINOX	-62.91%	158	426	+22.53%	2,105	1,718
IMPALA	-93.07%	7	101	-57.71%	655	1,549
LABO	+4.16%	376	361	-10.70%	3,571	3,999
MALIBU	-31.98%	1,236	1,817	-28.40%	12,210	17,052
SPARK	-25.15%	3,931	5,252	+15.86%	35,513	30,651
TRAVERSE	*	416	*	*	842	*
TRAX	-31.51%	1,376	2,009	-1.92%	12,541	12,787
CHEVROLET TOTAL	-15.42%	8,820	10,428	-9.04%	76,471	84,075

Sales Results - December 2019 - South Korea - Cadillac

MODEL	DEC 2019 / DEC 2018	DECEMBER 2019	DECEMBER 2018	YTD 2019 / YTD 2018	YTD 2019	YTD 2018
ATS	-100.00%	0	30	-66.67%	67	201
CT6	-56.45%	54	124	-44.79%	525	951
CTS	-32.14%	19	28	-1.76%	223	227
ESCALADE	+91.67%	23	12	+41.59%	303	214
XT5	+204.00%	76	25	+17.32%	596	508
CADILLAC TOTAL	-21.46%	172	219	-18.42%	1,714	2,101

Sales Results - December 2019 - South Korea - GM Totals

BRAND	DEC 2019 / DEC 2018	DECEMBER 2019	DECEMBER 2018	YTD 2019 / YTD 2018	YTD 2019	YTD 2018
CHEVROLET TOTAL	-15.42%	8,820	10,428	-9.04%	76,471	84,075
CADILLAC TOTAL	-21.46%	172	219	-18.42%	1,714	2,101
GM SOUTH KOREA TOTAL	-15.54%	8,992	10,647	-9.27%	78,185	86,176

The GM Authority Take

GM Korea sales suffered a double-digit drop in December, representing the eighth consecutive month of declines in sales volume. This circumstance was the result of double-digit sales declines at both Chevrolet and Cadillac. The negative result is due to the fact that ten of the sixteen models offered by GM in South Korea registered drastic sales declines greater than two digits.

Despite the poor sales performance experienced by most GM vehicles during December, it is worth noting five models that had a great December. These include the Chevrolet Bolt EV (up 4,814 percent), the Cadillac XT5 (up 204 percent), the Cadillac Escalade (up 92 percent), as well as the solid performance of the recently introduced Chevrolet Colorado and Chevrolet Traverse.

The midsize pickup registered 646 deliveries in its third month on sale in Korea, showing systematic growth. Meanwhile, the Chevy’s full-size crossover totaled 416 deliveries in its second month on the South Korean market.