Chevrolet Trax, subcompact sport utility vehicle made by GM Korea, was crowned as Korea’s No.1 export car model last year for the third year in a row.

According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) on Monday, outbound shipments of GM Korea’s Chevrolet Trax totaled 239,800 units from January to December last year. The figure was down 6.3 percent on year, but it was the largest shipments among car models shipped globally from South Korea, retaining the top position for three straight years.

GM Korea, the Korean unit of U.S. auto giant General Motors Co., exported 140,000 units of Chevrolet Trax to the U.S., 28,000 to the UK, 24,000 to Germany and 10,000 to Canada. Combined exports of the vehicle to Europe amounted to 72,000 units.

Chevrolet Trax is manufactured at GM Korea’s Bupyeong plant, west of Seoul, and delivered to nearly 60 countries across the world with its outbound shipments making up 60 percent of total exports of the automaker.

In the U.S., Chevrolet Trax sold 90,784 units last year, making up the third largest market share in the subcompact SUV category. Its sales, if added with those of Buick Encore that shares the platform and powertrain, totaled 93,631 units, the largest in the category beating Jeep Renegade’s 97,062 units.

It was well received also in Europe with average annual sales of 160,000 units.

Following Chevrolet Trax, Hyundai Motor’s compact SUV Tucson became the second-most exported car model in Korea last year with outbound shipments totaling 228,461 units. Hyundai Motor’s subcompact SUV Kona came third with exports of 202,779 units.

By Moon Ji-woong and Lee Ha-yeon

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