Cars from Korea: how to order an all-in import and compare prices
Korean cars: why people buy them
Hyundai, Kia, Genesis and other Korean makes are liked for their rich equipment. Some of these cars come from Korea’s home market, so they may have options that European versions do not: a sunroof, heated steering wheel, ventilated seats. On the other hand, the software and multimedia can be different, including menus in Korean.
On BlaBlaPrice you do not hunt for agents group by group. You describe the car in one request, and importers write in chat: what they offer, the all-in price, the timing and whether there will be a check. They see their position among competitors and improve their terms. Your phone stays closed until you choose a seller.
What to check in a car from Korea
Korean auctions and platforms such as Encar publish the car’s history: accidents, owners, repairs. Ask for the link to the listing and for the insurance claims report. This helps tell a clean car from a smashed one. Also ask about the trim by chassis number, because package names in the home market can differ.
Ask separately what fuel the engine is built for: diesel, petrol or LPG. The mileage should match the service history.
What to put in your request
- Make and model — for example Hyundai Tucson NX4.
- Year — say 2021.
- Engine — diesel 2.0 or petrol.
- Trim — all-wheel drive, sunroof, leather.
- All-in import — with customs clearance and delivery, or only up to the port.
- Kilometres — up to how many.
- History and damage — no accidents, or minor ones acceptable.
- All-in budget and delivery city.
Example: “I need a Hyundai Tucson NX4 2021, diesel 2.0, all-wheel drive, sunroof. Up to 60,000 km, no accidents, listing on Encar. All-in import with delivery to Gqeberha, budget up to R 410,000 all-in.”
How to compare offers
Ask for a breakdown: the price at the auction or at the dealer, shipping by sea and within South Africa, import duty and taxes, the importer’s fee, registration. Ask how long it takes on average to arrive and what happens if the car does not match the description at inspection. One offer can look cheaper only because it leaves out part of the costs.
For comparison, it is worth a look at cars from the USA, Korea and Europe together, and also cars from China and new cars.
Seasons matter too: demand for all-wheel-drive crossovers can change through the year. If you are not in a hurry, mention flexible timing so importers can offer better terms. Consider different body styles of the same generation too, because trim variations give different costs.
Common mistakes
Not asking for a history report and relying on photos alone. Not stating the expected “all-in” sum and then paying extra. Not checking the mileage in several sources. For details of how the service works, see the “How it works” page.
