Tesla registered 9,165 imported cars in South Korea in October 2026, 29.5% of the import market and more than any other brand, according to the registration statistics of the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA). It is the ninth month running that Tesla has led Korea's imports, but the mix underneath has changed completely since September.
The six-seat Model Y L, which Korea registered 8,690 times in September, registered 7 cars in October. The cheapest Model 3 went the other way, from 2 to 2,199.
October in Korea
| Brand | October 2026 | September 2026 | October 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla | 9,165 | 12,372 | 4,350 |
| Mercedes-Benz | 6,744 | 5,477 | 5,838 |
| BMW | 5,633 | 6,066 | 6,177 |
| Volvo | 1,682 | 1,414 | 1,435 |
| BYD | 1,594 | 2,614 | 824 |
| Lexus | 1,346 | 1,064 | 1,226 |
| All imports | 31,117 | 34,904 | 24,064 |
Tesla's total is 25.9% lower than in September but 110.7% higher than a year earlier. The import market as a whole fell 10.8% from September and rose 29.3% year on year. Mercedes-Benz overtook BMW for second place with 23.1% more cars than in September, while BYD fell 39% from its September total.
The Model Y L all but disappears
| Tesla model | October 2026 | September 2026 | List price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model Y Premium | 5,501 | 2,467 | ₩49.99m |
| Model Y Premium Long Range | 0 | 264 | ₩66.99m |
| Model Y L | 7 | 8,690 | ₩72.99m |
| Model 3 | 2,199 | 2 | ₩46.99m |
| Model 3 Premium Long Range | 1,354 | 814 | ₩59.99m |
| Cybertruck, both versions | 104 | 130 | from ₩145m |
The Model Y Premium was Korea's best-selling imported car in October, ahead of the Mercedes-Benz E 200 on 2,836, and the base Model 3 was third. The Model Y line as a whole registered 5,508 cars, against 11,421 in September and 3,712 a year earlier. The Model 3 line rose to 3,553 from 821.
KAIDA's figures do not explain the swing, and Tesla has not commented on it. Korea's Model 3s and Model Ys come from Giga Shanghai, so monthly registrations move with shipments. October is also the first month of the quarter from which Tesla told Korean customers the Model 3 would get its 16-inch screen and vehicle-to-load.
The year so far
From January to October, Tesla registered 98,313 cars in Korea, 105% more than a year earlier and 31.6% of all imports. That leaves it 1,687 short of 100,000 with two months to go. BMW is second for the year on 63,562 and Mercedes-Benz third on 49,993. BYD has 21,731, up 473%.
The Model Y Premium is the year's best-selling import on 53,837. The Model Y L is still second on 17,391, almost all of it registered by the end of September.
KAIDA counts imports only. The industry ministry's full-market figures, which include Hyundai and Kia, will show whether the Model Y kept its place as Korea's best-selling car of any make. It held that place for three months to September, Yonhap reported.
The part that is about Europe
In September, Korea's 8,690 Model Y Ls were the clearest sign of demand for a car Europe still cannot order. Whether October's 7 reflect supply or demand, KAIDA's figures cannot say. Europe's line-up is unchanged: there is no Model Y L, and Tesla has not said whether one is coming.