It costs five times more to fix a Mercedes-Benz after a collision than to repair Hyundai's premium Grandeur sedan, according to the Korea Insurance Development Institute.

The institute put the Mercedes and two other imported brands through frontal crash tests along with four domestic brands, including the Kia K9 and Hyundai Grandeur HG large sedans and the Hyundai i40 and GM Malibu mid-sized passenger cars.

The Mercedes was the most expensive to fix at W16.77 million (US$1=W1,064).

Next were the Honda Accord (W13.94 million) and Volkswagen Golf (W8.26 million).

In the Mercedes C200, a lack of buffer space between hood and bumper caused the radiator and air conditioner to suffer huge damage, and its components were also more expensive, the institute said.

Among Korean cars, the Kia K9 topped the list at W3.86 million followed by the Hyundai Grandeur HG at W3.3 million and the i40 at W2.56 million.