Korean cars are known for the reliability and impressive tech features. While only a small country – by land size, it’s only about half as big as Victoria – Korea punches well above its weight in the world of cars.
Ever since Hyundai first came to the market, we’ve seen a growing reputation and demand for cars made in Korea. Fast forward to today and two Korean brands are in the top 10 for cars sold in Australia and a new brand, Genesis, has recently entered the market.
Bearing that in mind, which Korean car brands are in Australia?
Most popular Korean cars in Australia
As of 2026, there are four Korean brands in Australia:
- Genesis
- Hyundai
- Kia
- KGM/SsangYong
Hyundai and Kia have been long established, but Genesis and SsangYong are newer introductions to the country. Both Kia (4th) and Hyundai (5th) featured in the top ten best-selling car brands in Australia for 2025.
Read more: Which Asian car brands are in Australia?
Genesis
Genesis is the luxury arm of Hyundai, with a big focus on EVs. There are currently three ranges available in Australia:
- GV60
- GV70
- GV80
The GV70, for example, comes in three variants ranging from $78,500 to $100,000 drive away.
The brand is expanding in Australia, with a third Sydney showcase opened in Castle Hill in the middle of last year.
Hyundai
Hyundai was the first Korean car brand to enter the Australian market when it first started selling here in 1986.
The brand has gone from strength to strength since then, with some of its models like the i30, IONIQ and Santa Fe common on streets all across the country.
In fact, Hyundai was the fifth top-selling car brand in Australia in 2025 (up from sixth in 2024). And the Kona was the seventh best-selling car, as well.
Kia
Although Hyundai has been in Australia the longest, Kia is the most popular Korean brand here.
In fact, Kia was the fourth top-selling car brand in Australia in 2025, behind Toyota, Ford and Mazda. In fact, Kia was the fourth top-selling car brand in Australia in 2025, behind Toyota, Ford and Mazda. Kia’s expanding electric range has done well, with the EV5 (4th) and the EV3 (10th) both in the top-selling list for 2025.
Other popular models include the Carnival, Cerato, Sportage and Rio.
KGM/SsangYong
Dating back to 1954, SsangYong has a long-established tradition of high quality cars in Korea. As sponsors of Collingwood, it’s a brand very familiar to AFL fans. Last year, however, you may have noticed that the brand changed names – switching from SsangYong to KGM in Australia.
As of January 2026, there are five KGM models available in Australia at the moment:
- Actyon, an SUV coupe
- Korando, a mid-size SUV
- Musso, a dual-cab ute (also available as an EV)
- Rexton, a 7-seat SUV
- Torres, a mid-size SUV
Drive-away prices, depending on features and finishes, are around:
- Actyon: $45k-$48k
- Korando: $33k-$39k
- Musso: $40k-$46k
- Rexton: $50k-$59k
- Torres: $40k-$43k
Following a takeover, SsangYong is rebranding as KGM in the near future.
The future of Korean cars in Australia
With Korean cars selling so well in Australia, it’s no surprise to see Genesis enter the market last year and other brands expanding their line ups. What may be a surprise is how few car brands there are in Korea – with essentially all of them already in the Aussie market. Unless a new brand springs up, growth in the market is likely limited to a bigger range of cars (like the Genesis G90) introduced to Australia.
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(Article originally written in 2025, updated in January 2026)
