1 in 3 repeat import-car buyers considered BMW, survey finds

BMW Korea said Wednesday that BMW ranked first among import brands that domestic consumers compared and considered when purchasing an imported car, according to a recent "import car purchase journey exploration survey" conducted by the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA). Among consumers who had purchased an imported car at least twice, BMW topped all brands in the survey.

KAIDA conducted the survey among 2,200 men and women aged 25 to 59 nationwide who had either purchased an imported car within the past three years or were at the final stage of considering one. BMW was compared and considered by 22.8 percent of all respondents — the highest share among import brands, based on multiple-response tallying.

Among 686 repeat buyers who had purchased an imported car two or more times, 27.6 percent said they had compared or considered BMW — the highest figure across all brands. Among 504 prospective buyers currently weighing an import purchase, BMW also led all import brands with a consideration rate of 23.4 percent.

BMW also stood out in segment and price-range breakdowns. Of the 624 respondents considering mid-size or large sedans, 28 percent compared BMW — the highest of any brand. By price range, BMW ranked first among buyers looking at vehicles priced between 70 million won ($52,900) and 100 million won, with a 36.1 percent consideration rate, and also led the 100 million to 150 million won bracket at 33.3 percent.

BMW also ranked near the top in overall customer assessments of the purchase journey. Its purchase journey satisfaction rate of 88.2 percent was the highest among premium import brands. Its repurchase intention rate of 90.9 percent placed second.

Driving performance was cited as the top reason consumers chose BMW. "Driving performance and technology" was the No. 1 deciding factor for current BMW buyers at 54.1 percent, and consumers who said they intended to buy a BMW in the future cited the same reason most frequently, at 59.0 percent.

Based on KAIDA new registration data, BMW sold the most vehicles among import brands from January through September this year, with 57,929 units.

The BMW 5 Series — including the i5 and M5 — led imported large sedan sales with 20,099 units sold. It was also the first imported premium large sedan to surpass 10,000 cumulative annual sales, a milestone it crossed in May.

The BMW 7 Series, including the i7, also topped the imported full-size sedan segment with 4,597 units sold. The Sports Activity Vehicle lineup accounted for roughly 40 percent of total sales at 22,954 units, placing first in the premium import SUV market.

Combined sales of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids reached 10,335 units — 6,681 BEVs and 3,654 PHEVs — representing 17.8 percent of total sales. BEV sales surged 56 percent compared with the same period last year.

BMW Korea said it continues to invest across the full customer journey to improve the quality of the customer experience. The company has introduced its customer experience-focused showroom concept "Retail.Next," while 42 of its 83 service centers nationwide offer high-voltage battery maintenance services. It has also trained 480 high-voltage technicians and installed 3,443 electric vehicle chargers across the country.

Han Sang-yoon, president and CEO of BMW Group Korea, said the company has worked to deliver high satisfaction at every stage of the customer journey — from the moment a customer first discovers a vehicle through purchase, delivery and after-sales service. "We will continue to expand our service and infrastructure to further improve customer satisfaction and provide a differentiated brand experience," he said.

Meanwhile, BMW Group Korea recently unveiled the BMW Accident Care Program, an expanded and enhanced version of its existing service designed to improve customer convenience throughout the entire collision repair process and deliver premium accident vehicle service.

The BMW Accident Care Program helps customers receive collision repair services with greater peace of mind and convenience following an accident. Specialists at BMW's official service centers provide professional repair work based on BMW's official repair guidelines and original parts, restoring the vehicle's safety and performance to pre-accident levels.