Russia December 2012: Renault Duster breaks into Top 5

Renault Duster

* See the Top 25 best-selling models and Top 55 All-brands by clicking on the title! *

* See the Full Year 2012 post here *

The Russian new car market seems to have exhausted its growth potential (for now): it is up just 1% year-on-year in December to 253,158 registrations, bringing the Full Year 2012 total to a record 2,935,111 units, up a shiny 11% on 2011. 4th month in a row in pole position for the Lada Granta, now solidly established atop the Russian ranking with 13,152 sales and 5.2% and followed by the Lada Priora at 10,429 units and 4.1%, up 10% year-on-year. The Ford Focus climbs into the podium for potentially the first time since 2007 at #3 with 9,831 sales and 3.9%, passing the Hyundai Solaris to become the best-selling foreign model in the country for the first time since… March 2011!

Kia Sportage

But the big event this month is the arrival in the Russian Top 5 for the first time of the Renault Duster, up 2 spots on November to 6,659 sales and 2.6%, interestingly not its best scores however. To my knowledge it is the only SUV to have managed to break into the monthly Top 5 in Russia with the Lada 4×4 and possibly the Chevrolet Niva, up 4 ranks to #8 this month. An extraordinary performance indeed, and the next months could be even more impressive, with the Hyundai Solaris starting to lose steam, down 32% year-on-year at #4 in December. Notice also the Daewoo Nexia up 29% to #10 and the Kia Sportage up 75% to a best-ever #18.

Full Year post: Russia Full Year 2012: Lada Priora #1, Granta 4,800 sales below

Previous month: Russia November 2012: Lada Granta reigns, Samara’s last breath?

One year ago: Russia December 2011: Hyundai Solaris 744 units off pole position!

Full December 2012 Top 25 models and Top 56 All-brands Ranking Tables below.