Oil price hike boosts demand for mini cars, compact EVs

Oil prices are pushing Korean consumers toward mini cars and compact EVs, with sales rising as drivers seek lower running costs. Kia’s Morning sold more than 15,000 units from January to July, more than double a year earlier, and Kia’s Ray EV rose 18 percent. BYD Korea’s Dolphin also climbed to fourth in August imported-car sales, highlighting stronger demand for affordable vehicles.

Kia’s Morning sold more than 15,000 units between January and July, more than double the figure from the same period last year.

Kia’s Ray EV posted an 18 percent increase in sales over the same January-to-July period.

BYD Korea’s Dolphin ranked fourth in August imported-car sales, behind Tesla Korea’s Model Y, Model Y L and BMW Korea’s 520.

Published Sep 8, 2026 7:00 am KST

Sales for Morning, Ray, Dolphin surge

Kia's Ray mini car / Courtesy of Kia

A prolonged surge in oil prices is driving Korean consumers toward smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, with sales of mini cars and compact electric vehicles (EVs) gaining momentum as drivers look to cut running costs.

Sales of both gasoline-powered and electric mini cars have risen sharply this year, proving growing demand for affordable vehicles amid persistently high fuel prices.

Kia’s Morning, one of Korea’s most popular mini cars, sold more than 15,000 units between January and July, more than double the figure recorded during the same period last year.

Demand has also strengthened for electric mini cars. Kia’s Ray EV posted an 18 percent increase in sales during the same period, as consumers become more sensitive to fuel and ownership costs.

The shift is also becoming visible in the imported car market.

BYD Korea’s Dolphin compact electric hatchback / Courtesy of BYD Korea

BYD Korea’s Dolphin, a compact electric hatchback, ranked fourth in August sales for the imported car market here behind Tesla Korea’s Model Y, Model Y L and BMW Korea’s 520. Its appearance among the market’s top-selling imported models is notable, as the market has long been a battleground for large SUVs and premium sedans.

The sales trend suggests that high fuel prices are reshaping consumer priorities. Rather than paying a premium for larger vehicles with greater performance or space, an increasing number of drivers appear willing to sacrifice size in exchange for lower fuel consumption and more affordable ownership.

The appeal of mini cars is particularly strong in Korea, where they receive tax and parking benefits and are relatively inexpensive to operate.

“Higher vehicle prices and elevated household expenses are making affordability a more important consideration in new car purchases to potential customers,” an official from an imported carmaker said.

For automakers, the trend could create an opportunity in a segment that has long been overshadowed by the popularity of SUVs and larger vehicles.

The growing sales of the Morning and Ray EV, alongside the unexpected rise of BYD’s Dolphin, point to a major shift in the imported vehicle market.

“Tesla’s Model Y EV is not cheap enough to be directly compared with mini cars, but the model ranked first in sales largely due to its competitive pricing despite Tesla’s near-premium brand image,” the official said.

If high oil prices persist, demand for compact and efficient vehicles could prove more than a temporary phenomenon, potentially giving mini cars and small EVs a renewed role in Korea’s increasingly cost-conscious auto market, the official said.

油价上涨促使韩国消费者转向微型车和紧凑型电动汽车，随着车主寻求更低的用车成本，这些车型的销量也随之增长。起亚Morning车型1月至7月的销量超过1.5万辆，是去年同期的两倍多；起亚Ray电动汽车的销量也增长了18%。比亚迪韩国的Dolphin车型8月份进口车销量也攀升至第四位，凸显了消费者对经济型汽车的强劲需求。

起亚Morning车型在1月至​​7月期间售出超过15000辆，是去年同期销量的两倍多。

起亚Ray EV的销量在1月至7月期间同比增长了18%。

比亚迪韩国的海豚在8月份进口车销量中排名第四，落后于特斯拉韩国的Model Y、Model YL和宝马韩国的520。

发布于2026年9月8日 上午7:00（韩国标准时间）

Morning、Ray、Dolphin 的销量激增

起亚的 Ray 迷你车/由起亚提供

油价持续上涨促使韩国消费者转向购买更小、更节能的汽车，微型车和紧凑型电动汽车的销量正在增长，因为车主们希望降低用车成本。

今年汽油动力和电动微型汽车的销量均大幅增长，这证明在燃油价格持续高企的情况下，人们对价格适中的汽车的需求不断增长。

起亚Morning是韩国最受欢迎的微型车之一，今年1月至7月销量超过15000辆，是去年同期销量的两倍多。

市场对电动微型车的需求也日益强劲。同期，起亚Ray EV的销量增长了18%，因为消费者对燃油和用车成本越来越敏感。

这种转变在进口车市场也开始显现。

比亚迪韩国Dolphin紧凑型电动掀背车 / 图片由比亚迪韩国提供

比亚迪韩国的Dolphin是一款紧凑型电动掀背车，在8月份韩国进口车市场销量排名第四，位列特斯拉韩国的Model Y、Model YL和宝马韩国的520之后。它跻身市场畅销进口车型之列引人注目，因为长期以来，该市场一直是大型SUV和豪华轿车的战场。

销售趋势表明，高油价正在重塑消费者的消费偏好。越来越多的驾驶者似乎不再愿意为性能或空间更大的车辆支付溢价，而是愿意牺牲车辆尺寸，以换取更低的油耗和更经济的用车成本。

微型汽车在韩国尤其受欢迎，因为韩国的微型汽车可以享受税收和停车优惠，而且运营成本相对较低。

一位进口汽车制造商的官员表示：“汽车价格上涨和家庭开支增加，使得经济承受能力成为潜在客户在购买新车时更加重要的考虑因素。”

对于汽车制造商而言，这一趋势可能会在一个长期以来被 SUV 和大型车辆的流行所掩盖的细分市场中创造机会。

Morning 和 Ray EV 销量不断增长，加上比亚迪 Dolphin 的意外崛起，表明进口汽车市场正在发生重大转变。

“特斯拉Model Y电动汽车的价格还不够便宜，无法直接与微型车相提并论，但尽管特斯拉的品牌形象接近高端，但该车型销量排名第一，这主要归功于其具有竞争力的价格，”这位官员表示。

这位官员表示，如果高油价持续下去，对紧凑高效汽车的需求可能不仅仅是暂时的现象，这可能会使微型汽车和小型电动汽车在韩国日益注重成本的汽车市场中重新发挥作用。