Korean Car Imports Doubled; 2,086 Hyundai and Kia Ads Form a Young Cohort
Georgia imported $41.8 million of passenger cars from South Korea in January–July 2026, twice the year-earlier value. The advertised market contains 1,248 Hyundai and 838 Kia cars; both cohorts have a median model year of 2022 and about three in four await customs clearance.
Passenger cars lead the Korean import lane
Georgia's trade with South Korea expanded sharply in the first seven months of 2026. Geostat-based figures published on 23 August put bilateral turnover above $81 million, up 25% year over year. Imports reached about $80 million, and passenger cars were the largest category at $41.8 million.
That passenger-car value was twice the January–July 2025 result. The increase makes the Korean lane more than a niche story: cars alone represented slightly more than half of the value imported from South Korea in the published breakdown.
Trade value measures declarations at the border, while the listing view is a single-day advertised cohort. Reading them side by side connects flow and current shopping supply.
Korean-marque advertised stock
Advertisements on 31 August 2026; make labels describe marque and shipment origin is documented separately.
Hyundai and Kia form the visible advertised cohort
On 31 August, advertisements included 1,248 Hyundai and 838 Kia cars — 2,086 combined. Smaller Korean-marque cohorts included 14 SsangYong and 6 Genesis advertisements.
- Hyundai — Ads: 1,248; Median ask: $12,500; Median year: 2022; Uncleared share: 74.8%
- Kia — Ads: 838; Median ask: $14,000; Median year: 2022; Uncleared share: 81.9%
- SsangYong — Ads: 14; Median ask: $13,250; Median year: 2018; Uncleared share: 78.6%
- Genesis — Ads: 6; Median ask: $30,800; Median year: 2023; Uncleared share: 83.3%
Hyundai is the larger advertised cohort, while Kia carries the higher median ask and the higher uncleared share. Both volume groups have a 2022 median model year, making the Korean-marque slice younger than the 2020 midpoint of the full advertised market.
Hyundai and Kia form the visible advertised cohort
On 31 August, advertisements included 1,248 Hyundai and 838 Kia cars — 2,086 combined. Smaller Korean-marque cohorts included 14 SsangYong and 6 Genesis advertisements.
- Hyundai — Ads: 1,248; Median ask: $12,500; Median year: 2022; Uncleared share: 74.8%
- Kia — Ads: 838; Median ask: $14,000; Median year: 2022; Uncleared share: 81.9%
- SsangYong — Ads: 14; Median ask: $13,250; Median year: 2018; Uncleared share: 78.6%
- Genesis — Ads: 6; Median ask: $30,800; Median year: 2023; Uncleared share: 83.3%
Hyundai is the larger advertised cohort, while Kia carries the higher median ask and the higher uncleared share. Both volume groups have a 2022 median model year, making the Korean-marque slice younger than the 2020 midpoint of the full advertised market.
Korean-marque advertised stock
Advertisements on 31 August 2026; make labels describe marque and shipment origin is documented separately.
Customs status shows an import-facing market
The customs split is the clearest connection between the trade release and current shopping conditions. 74.8% of Hyundai and 81.9% of Kia advertisements were awaiting customs clearance, compared with 56.1% across all advertised cars.
For an uncleared car, registered cost combines the asking price, the applicable clearance charge, and registration-related expense. The individual car's year, engine, fuel, and documentation determine that comparison.
Make labels identify marque; shipment origin requires individual documentation. A Hyundai or Kia can reach Georgia through a different country, and the border trade table covers vehicles that may later enter the advertised market. The shared signal is clear: official Korean passenger-car import value surged while Korean marques form a large, young, customs-heavy advertised cohort.
Customs status shows an import-facing market
The customs split is the clearest connection between the trade release and current shopping conditions. 74.8% of Hyundai and 81.9% of Kia advertisements were awaiting customs clearance, compared with 56.1% across all advertised cars.
For an uncleared car, registered cost combines the asking price, the applicable clearance charge, and registration-related expense. The individual car's year, engine, fuel, and documentation determine that comparison.
Make labels identify marque; shipment origin requires individual documentation. A Hyundai or Kia can reach Georgia through a different country, and the border trade table covers vehicles that may later enter the advertised market. The shared signal is clear: official Korean passenger-car import value surged while Korean marques form a large, young, customs-heavy advertised cohort.
What buyers can take from the lane
The combination creates three practical expectations:
- Hyundai and Kia buyers should see substantial choice, with 2,086 advertisements between the two makes.
- Customs-clearance status will materially affect comparison because most of each cohort remains uncleared.
- The 2022 median year means many advertised cars sit in the newer part of Georgia's current market.
The $41.8 million trade figure describes a seven-month flow; the listing table is a single-day stock. Together they show the lane's scale and current shopping shape.
Korean passenger-car imports reached $41.8 million while Hyundai and Kia accounted for 2,086 advertisements.
Methodology
Geostat-based January–July trade release and AutoBridge advertised passenger-car data.
2,106 Hyundai, Kia, SsangYong, and Genesis advertisements; 2,086 are Hyundai or Kia.
Trade: January–July 2026; advertised-stock reading: 31 August 2026.