American classic sport utility vehicle brand Jeep sold 10,251 units in Korea in 2019, joining the “10,000-unit club” here for the first time, the company said Monday.

The 10,000-unit mark is a standard that measures whether foreign carmakers have made a safe landing here.

According to Jeep, it saw a 35.1 percent increase in annual sales last year from the year prior, bringing it to seventh among foreign carmakers and second among imported SUV brands. 

It is the first time for the brand to sell more than 10,000 units in a year since Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Korea tapped into the local market in 1992.

The Jeep Renegade compact SUV topped in its B-segment SUV units, reclaiming its title as a bestseller and marking 2,391 units last year. Jeep’s iconic Wrangler saw 2,186 units sold to follow in the ranks, while its flagship model Grand Cherokee SUV came third, with 2,151 units sold.

In 2020, Jeep is to roll out an expanded lineup of its vehicles to meet consumers’ needs. Jeep said it will present a Renegade with a 1.6-liter turbo diesel engine, as well as a new lineup of Wrangler.

Jeep said it will also release a new lineup of the Cherokee, unveiling Trailhawk for the first time this year.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)