导读
In March, there was a landmark change in the structure of Russia’s car imports, with imports of used cars (29,900) overtaking new cars (23,800) for the first time, ending a year and a half-long dominance of new cars that had previously…In March, there was a landmark change in the structure of Russia’s car imports, with imports of used cars (29,900) overtaking new cars (23,800) for the first time, ending a year and a half-long dominance of new cars that had previously…
In March 2025, there was a landmark change in the structure of Russian car imports: for the first time since May 2023, imports of used cars (29,900) overtook new cars (23,800), ending the previous year-and-a-half-long dominance of new cars.This shift reflects the deep restructuring of the Russian automotive market:
New car imports shrink
China remained the largest supplier (79.8% share), but the total volume plunged 73% year-on-year, mainly due to the restoration of Russia’s domestic production capacity (e.g., the Lada plant resumed work) replacing part of the import demand.
Competition for the second seat is intense: Kyrgyzstan (7.9%) and Belarus (4.9%) are in second and third place by virtue of the Customs Union.
Used Car Market Landscape
Japan and South Korea dominate: Japanese vehicles account for 52.9% of the total (dominated by Toyota), South Korea accounts for 22.8%, and China is in third place with a 10% share, which is a significant increase over the same period in 2024 (from less than 1% to 10%).
Model preference: The used car market is still dominated by Japanese durable models (e.g. Toyota), but Chinese brands such as Haval and Chery are gradually penetrating through cost-effective pricing.
brand performance
New car sales champion: Changan leads the Chinese camp, confirming the effectiveness of its localization strategy.
Used Car Domination: Toyota stays ahead with a stable supply chain and brand recognition.
Analysis of deep-seated drivers
Policy impact: Russia sharply increased the scrapping tax on imported cars in October 2024 (up 70-85%), resulting in dealers stocking up in advance and a concentrated release of inventory pressure in 2025.
Recession: distortions in the military economy triggered inflation (10%) and a contraction in purchasing power, with total auto sales declining 25.3% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025.
Geo-watch: some consumers are expecting the return of Western brands, adding to market uncertainty.
Suggestions for Chinese car companies to deal with
Strengthening used car exports: Expanding share by taking advantage of Japan and South Korea’s export restrictions (e.g., Japan’s ban on displacements above 1.9L).
Localized production: avoid tariff barriers, refer to Chang’an model to build joint ventures with Russian companies.
Data note: The average price of a new car in Russia in March 2025 was around 1.48 million rubles (≈116,000 yuan), and used car prices are expected to fall 5-10% over the year due to weak demand.
(Note: The exchange rate in the text is estimated at 1 dollar ≈ 12.8 rubles.)
