How to read a Korean car listing
Before you compare prices it is worth knowing what the listing actually describes. Three fields mislead almost everyone the first time.
Korean car listings describe a car by a different logic from European ones: the year is usually the year of first registration rather than of manufacture, trim levels carry Korean designations with no European equivalent, and the asking price is internal to the Korean market and excludes export, freight, duty and VAT.
This article is part of the complete guide to importing cars from South Korea.
Terms in this article:Model yearVIN (chassis number)Condition report
This is a working draft. The Korea Cars BG team is still expanding it — for your specific case, write to us and we will answer in writing.
The year in the listing
In Korean listings the year is most often the year of first registration rather than of manufacture. The difference can be a year and noticeably affects the price on resale.
When you compare two cars, check that you are comparing the same thing. The year from the chassis number and the year in the listing do not always agree.
Trim levels
Korean trim levels do not map onto European names. The same model can carry a different designation in Korea and include extras that are a separately paid package in Europe.
So the equipment list for the specific car is worth more than the name of the trim. Ask for itemised equipment, not a label.
The price
The asking price is internal to the Korean market. It excludes export costs, sea freight, shipment insurance, duty and VAT.
Comparing a Korean asking price with a Bulgarian final price is the most repeated mistake there is. Only a final price is comparable with a final price.
What else the listing leaves out
A listing rarely describes condition with the detail the decision requires. The condition report and the insurance record are ordered separately, against the chassis number.
The Korea Cars BG catalogue is curated by hand and is not an automatic copy of public listings. If you are looking for a specific model that is not in it, we look for it to your description.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does the Korean price look so much lower?
- Because it is internal to the Korean market and excludes export, sea freight, insurance, duty and VAT. Only the final price after all of those is comparable with a Bulgarian one.
- Is the year in the listing the year of manufacture?
- Usually not — most often it is the year of first registration. The model year is encoded in the chassis number and both figures are checked together.
- What do Korean trim levels mean?
- They are specific to the Korean market and have no direct European equivalent. It is more useful to ask for itemised equipment for the specific car than to rely on the name of the trim.
Have a question about a specific car?
Tell us what you are looking for and we will answer in writing — with an indicative final price and timeline.
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