When it comes to Korean car brands, many of us mostly know about only Hyundai and Kia Motors. At the same time, they have several famous car brands – each coming with great designs, high-quality safety, and innovative technologies that too for an affordable rate.
Well, it’s something you can’t simply miss!
In fact, if you didn’t know it before, Korean car companies are the 5th largest car manufacturer in the entire globe. Seems Interesting, Right!
Let’s dig in right away to know about them in detail!
Top 10 Korean Car Brands Worth Knowing For
As we all know, Korea is divided into two countries, North Korea and South Korea. Like the name, they also have a massive difference in the automotive industry.
While, North Korea mainly focuses on serving the military, industrial and construction areas with their small car ownership.
At the same time, the South Korea comes with some of the great vehicles for both export and personal use – eventually bringing the Korean car companies into the limelight.
Want to know about the 10 best Korean car companies?
Take a look at the below listings to get your answer:
1. Hyundai
Hyundai is undoubtedly the most popular among all the Korean car brands.
It was founded in the year 1967. Yet, due to its innovation and marvellous creation almost every year, it has been rocking the automobile industry since then to the present date.
In fact, when it comes to production, this Korean manufacturer alone boasts around 1.5 million of Car that too on an annual basis. No wonder it won the title of 4th largest car manufacturer worldwide, beating some of the big names, like Nissan, Honda, Ford and many more.
The leading specialty of this brand is they come with a versatile range of cars. So everyone under their budget can buy one comfortably instead of worrying about their budget.
Luckily, till now, they have been successful in this endeavour of theirs. Starting from SUVs to Sedans and compact vehicles – Hyundai just has it all within their range.
In fact, to your surprise, based on the mileage, year and model, this brand car is extremely affordable – costing you as less as $5000. Super cool, Right!
Besides, this Korean brand has such a strong presence globally that you will certainly have no issues searching for a local Hyundai dealership. Some of the most renowned cars of this brand include Santa Fe, Sonata, Elantra, Tucson, and so on.
- Headquarters:Seoul, South Korea
- Founder/Parent Company:Chung Ju-Yung
2. Kia Motors
The next one on the list is Kia Motors Corporation. They are a part of the Korea’s most ancient motor vehicle manufacturer.
Since the 1944, they have an incredible history of making some high-quality vehicles, which ultimately increase their sales – making them the 5th largest vehicle manufacturer.
They have a massive network of over 3,000 distributors and dealers, selling their cars in about 172 countries. Now for production, they manufacture over 1.4 million vehicles per year and have an income of over US$17 billion.
The production of this brand is a bit different than others as they tend to follow specific kinds of rules – keeping a unique combination of amazing design and accessibility in mind.
The motive behind following these rules is to make their vehicles accessible under everyone’s comfortable reach. One of the great examples of this great combo is Kia Rio LX Sedan which is only available at $14,700.
In other words, this brand is a stand alone manufacturer that comes with a wide range of innovative vehicles – all at a reasonable price.
But that doesn’t mean in any way that they have compromised with any things. Instead, they come with some of the best safety and designer cars of all time.
Some of the great inventions of this brand include Forte, Picanto, Sorento, Soul, Venga, Rondo, Kia stinger 4 door hatchback, etc.
- Headquarters:Seoul, South Korea
- Founder:Kim Cheol-ho
- Parent Company:Hyundai Motor Company
3. SsangYong
SsangYong is one of the largest vehicle Korean brands that successfully has made their position in the 10 best Korean car brands lists. And why not?
Each of their creations is just too awesome, right from their design to affordability – they have taken special note of all the things. In fact, to your surprise, they are a subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra, which is one of the leading automotive companies in India.
Previously, they used to only pay attention to making the SUVs and electric vehicles but nowadays, they also sell pickup trucks, referred to as Musso.
Moreover, they are popularly known as one of the Korean luxury car brands for coming up with the 1st ever luxurious country’s car. They have about 1,700 dealerships approximately in more than 125 countries. Korando, Rexton, Musso, and Tivoli are some of the notable examples of these brands.
- Headquarters:Busan, South Korea
- Parent Company:Mahindra & Mahindra Limited
4. Renault Samsung Motors
Renault Samsung Motors is another renowned Korean automobile manufacturer that has been with us since 1954 to the present date. Starting from Sedans, Crossovers, SUVs, and small electronic vehicles to vans – Renault Samsung Motors has just got all covered.
Though it is lagging behind in competition yet, they have somehow managed to stay on the ladder of the top Korean car brands. Some of the examples of this brand include SM3, SM5, SM7, QM3, etc.
- Headquarters:Seoul, South Korea
- Founder/Parent Company:Renault
5. CT&T United
CT&T is surprisingly one of the biggest automotive manufacturers of battery-operated electric vehicles. Although they started their journey in the year 2002, yet due to their remarkable creations, they have successfully created a strong presence within these few years.
Right from gifting us the best eZone medium speed vehicle to the cZone low-speed vehicle, eVAN and Police EV – CT&T United have certainly amazed us all!
Furthermore, they also have a regional assembly and sales system in the United States. Hence, the chances are high that within a few years, they may begin assembling vehicles in small factories in some parts of the United States.
As of 2010, the manufacturer has said that they will soon begin building a plant on the Oahu Island as quickly as possible to increase their production rates up to at least 10,000 vehicles a year.
- Headquarters:South Korea
- Founder/Parent Company:Young Gi Lee, Joseph J. White
6. Proto Motors
Proto Motors is another leading Korean automobile manufacturer that mostly specializes in creating buses and electric and sports cars. They have partnerships with some of the top brands, like GM Daewoo Kia and Hyundai Motors company.
In the year 2001, they have made their own customized convertible limousine, leaving everyone amazed. It is certainly one of the striking inventions that are worth appraisal for. The most recent invention of this brand is the Spirra – a convertible electric car.
- Headquarters:South Korea
- Founder/Parent Company:Not Available
7. Genesis
Genesis is one of the Korean luxurious car brands that mostly sells posh sedans that come with premium trims. In fact, the most affordable one of this brand is the G70 which will cost you around $38,000. While by investing $10,000 more, you can get the G80 – 8 speed sedan, available in 3 varied trims.
On the other hand, the most high-priced can cost you around $75,000, which is the G90 Sedan. Featuring 365 horsepower, a 17 speaker audio mechanism, and a forward collision avoidance assist – it is definitely worth the value.
They are a great deal for anyone who is more into buying a luxurious sedan under $80,000. Some of the popular cars of this brand include the G70, G80, G90, GV70, etc.
8. Ioniq
The next one up on the list is Ioniq, which currently dubs the title of being the most fuel-efficient vehicle.
What makes them a standout among all the other brands is they come with Apple Carplay capabilities, touchscreen displays, and forward collision avoidance assist.
These are some of the features that almost everyone likes having in their vehicles. And Ioniq has included all of them!
Another noteworthy thing about this brand is its price range. All of them are available at a reasonable rate that will comfortably fall under everyone’s budget.
No wonder why they have gained so much popularity among the people. Ioniq Blue, Ioniq SE, Ioniq SEL, and Ioniq Limited are some of the noteworthy examples of this car brand.
9. GM Korea Company
GM Korea Company is a subsidiary of the USA-based General Motors. It is the 3rd largest automobile manufacturer in the country, after Hyundai and Kia, in terms of production.
It boats 2 manufacturing facilities – making the component tools and parts for the General Motors vehicles, like Malibu, Equinox, etc. However, it still sells a huge quantity of Chevrolet and Cadillac in the greater parts of the South Korea.
Apart from the manufacturing facilities, they also have a development centre with a big number of dedicated employees currently working and conducting a huge amount of research bringing the latest models.
Throughout the country, they have employed almost 9,000 individuals working in South Korea – ultimately taking an active part in the financial program of the country. Some of the most famous cars of GM Korea Company include Malibu, Impala, Camaro, Trax, etc.
10. Daewoo
This brand was established in the year 1937 in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, South Korea. Later on, in the year 2001, General Motors bought this company. After that, miraculously, this company started gaining control and began its expansion worldwide.
Since then, there have been just no turning back. Nexia, Leganza, and LeMans are some of the great inventions of this brand.
- Headquarters:Seoul, South Korea
- Founder:Kim Woo-Choong
- Parent Company:Chevrolet, General Motors
Closing Notes
That’s all about the top 10 Korean car brands. All of them are extremely good from their respective angles.
Hopefully, by now, you have finally got to know that apart from Hyundai and Kia, Korean car manufacturers have more things to offer. Whether it be their top-notch safety ratings or their latest technologies – they have several deals that will certainly make you amazed.
Frequently Asked Question
Still have confusion about Korean vehicle brands? If so, have a look at the below most asked questions to clarify them:
Why are Korean vehicles lower in price?
Well, the leading reason behind the low price is that Korean manufacturers tend to make their own metal and other materials rather than purchasing from overboard suppliers. As a result, the labour costs get lessened, which ultimately affects the overall pricing.
Which is the fastest Korean Car?
Among all the cars available, Hyundai Genesis Coupe is certainly the fastest one having a maximum speed range of 168 miles per hour along with a 3.8 litre V6 engine.
And to your surprise, it only takes about 5.4 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour with this monstrous Car. The next one that comes on the fastest list after Hyundai Genesis Coupe is the Genesis G70.
Which is the most expensive Korean Car?
Without any doubt, G90 is the most expensive Korean Car of the famous brand Genesis. It will cost roughly around $75,000.
Is Kia Motors a South Korean car brand?
Yes, Kia Motors Corporation is one of the leading South Korean car companies. In fact, they are the 2nd largest automobile manufacturer in the country, having an annual sales rate of more than 3.3 million units.
Which Korean car brand is the best?
Compared to the ratings and other noteworthy features, the famous Korean brand Hyundai is the clear winner.
They have a vast expansion globally and also keep pace with the current trends by prioritizing the constant up-gradation and latest technologies. Sonata, Accent, Tucson, and Elantra are some of the greatest inventions of this Hyundai brand.
