According to the Association of European Businesses (AEB) statistics, the sales of new cars and light commercial vehicles in Russia in January-September 2018 grew 14.9% year-on-year up to some 1.3 mn units.
In September, the sales of new cars and light commercial vehicles increased by 6.2% and amounted to 157.4 thousand units.
“Total market sales in September continue to show positive momentum, on the backdrop of a strong performance in the same period of the previous year. In view of the current market conditions, and the expected VAT increase from January next year, the AEB revises its sales forecast for the full year as follows: 2018 sales of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in Russia are expected to exceed 1.8 million units, or 13% growth on a year-on-year basis”, commented Joerg Schreiber, Chairman of the AEB Automobile Manufacturers Committee.
Lada remained the leader of the Russian car market in September with its sales growing 10.3% year-on-year up to 31.2 thousand units.
KIA continues to rate the second with its sales increasing by just 0.6% up to 18.9 thousand cars.
Hyundai remains the third expanding its sales 1.5% up to 16.1 thousand cars.
Toyota has moved up to the fourth position with its sales amounting to 11.2 thousand units, up 47.9% year-on-year.
Renault saw its sales decline by 18.4% year-on-year down to 10.4 thousand units, this brand rates the fifth.
Among the car brands that demonstrated the most spectacular growth in September HTM (up 13-fold), Zotye (up 2.9-fold), Jeep (up 2.5-fold), Hyundai commercial vehicles (up 2.5-fold), Genesis (up 2.2-fold), Honda (up 2.1-fold) and Geely (up 2-fold).
The brands that saw their sales decline the most were FIAT (-85%), smart (-80%), Iveco commercial vehicles (-61%) and Foton commercial vehicles (-60%).