January is traditionally a low season for the automotive market. This year, car sales in Russia dropped even more drastically than usual.
According to the Association of European Businesses (AEB) Automobile Manufacturers Committee’s statistics, 32.5 thousand cars and light commercial vehicles was sold in Russia this January, down 63.1% and year-on-year down 49.3% month-on-month.
Experts explain the significant drop by the deficit of supply as most of the brands offered in the market are either of Russian or Chinese make.
Lada remained the leader of the Russian car market in January 2023 with its sales down 3.2% year-on-year and down 27.2% month-on-month to 24 thousand units.
China’s Haval climbed to the second position with some 4.5 thousand units sold, up 43.1% year-on-year and down 1.8% month-on-month.
Another Chinese brand, Geely, entered the Top 5 occupying the third position in the rating with 3.5 thousand cars sold in January 2023, up 87.9% year-on-year and down 4.3% month-on-month.
Russia’s GAZ commercial vehicles rated the fourth with more than 1.8 thousand units sold, down 31,7% year-on-year and down 78.8% month-on-month.
Finally, KIA was back to the Top 5 selling more than 1.4 thousand cars in Russia in January, down 88.5% year-on-year and down 50.5% month-on-month.
Most of the brands sold in the Russian market demonstrated a negative trend in January 2023, the few exceptions apart from Haval and Geely mentioned above being other Chinese brands, Great Wall (up 4.7-fold) and DFM (up 66%).