GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of General Motors Co., said Wednesday it will add the Tahoe full-size SUV to its lineup next month to meet a rising demand for SUVs amid the extended COVID-19 pandemic.

GM Korea will begin the delivery of the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV to South Korean customers in April, making Chevrolet the first brand in South Korea among domestic and imported brands with an SUV portfolio that ranges from the small to extra-large segments, the company said in a statement.

The all-wheel-drive Tahoe SUV comes with a 6.2-liter gasoline engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission and seven air bags. It is priced at 93 million won-94 million won ($76,000-$77,000).

GM Korea said it has received hundreds of preorders for the 5.4-meter-long SUV, and the model will compete with Ford Motor Co.'s Expedition SUV in the South Korean market.

GM plans to bring the GMC Sierra pickup to the South Korean market this year to boost sales.

The Detroit-based carmaker sells vehicles under four brands globally: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. Chevrolet and Cadillac models are currently available in South Korea.

GM Korea's lineup is composed of four locally assembled models -- the Spark mini car, the Malibu sedan, and the Trailblazer and Trax SUVs -- and four imported ones -- the Colorado pickup, the Bolt all-electric car, and the Equinox and Traverse SUVs.

Most of the models currently sold in South Korea are from the Chevrolet brand.

The strengthened SUV lineup will help GM Korea "actively respond to its Korean customers' diverse needs for outdoor and leisure activities, including camping, yachting, kayaking and caravaning," the statement said.

In a two-track brand strategy, GM Korea sells domestically produced and imported vehicles in Asia's fourth-biggest economy.

The company plans to introduce several electric vehicles by 2025, including the updated Bolt EV and Bolt electric utility vehicle, which are set to be delivered to customers in the second quarter.

From January to February, its sales fell 44 percent to 35,762 vehicles from 64,371 units a year earlier. (Yonhap)