Russia September 2012: Lada Granta takes the lead

Lada Granta

* See the Top 25 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

New Russian car sales slow down their growth at +10% year-on-year in September to 259,582 registrations. The year-to-date total stands at 2,187,797 units after 9 months, up 14% on 2011. Big event this month: over 2 years after its official presentation at the Moscow Motor Show in August 2010 and 8 months after its sales kick started in Russia last January, the Lada Granta takes the lead of the Russian models ranking with a record 14,050 sales and 5.4% share. It is up 12% on August and a comfortable 2,441 units above the #2, the Lada Priora down 15% year-on-year to 11,609 sales and 4.5%. The Lada Kalina, still #1 year-to-date at 96,513 units and 4.4%, rounds up the September podium with 9,315 sales and 3.6%, down 23% yoy.

Renault Duster

After 9 months, Lada has sold 80,965 Grantas and should finish the year at around 120,000 which is above the 100,000 units the manufacturer planned for at the start of the year. So, is the Granta a success? It’s still too early to say, as it was launched to replace two monuments: the 32 year-old Classic and the 28 year-old Samara. Even though they have all but disappeared of the 2012 ranking (#18 and #8 respectively), these two veterans still sold a total of 235,000 units in the country last year so the bar is high for the Granta which will need to sell upwards of 200,000 units in 2013 to keep a smile on its bonnet.

Mitsubishi Outlander

Below the 100% Lada podium, the Hyundai Solaris is stable at #4 and remains the best-selling foreigner with 9,096 sales and 3.5%, followed by the Kia Rio at 7,928 units and 3.1%, up 733% year-on-year (!) and the Ford Focus. The VW Polo is back up to #7 and the Chevrolet Cruze stays solid at #8. Another outstanding month for the Renault Duster, up 4 spots on August to fall short of breaking into the Top 10 for the first time for just… 8 sales! It is at 5,042 units and 1.9% and already #20 year-to-date.

Lada Largus

Two newcomers make themselves noticed this month in the Russian Top 20: the Mitsubishi Outlander, boosted by the new generation, shoots up to #16 with 3,571 sales and 1.4% while the Lada Largus continues its progression, up 3 ranks on last month to #17 with 3,118 units and 1.2%. Notice also the Toyota Camry at #20 (+95% year-on-year) and the Nissan Juke at #22 (+57%).

Previous month: Russia August 2012: Lada Granta takes off to #2, Lada Largus #20

One year ago: Russia September 2011: Hyundai Solaris up to #4 for the first time

Full September 2012 Top 25 Ranking Table below.