Russia Full Year 2013: Lada Granta celebrates first year at #1

The Lada Granta is #1, but the Chinese are coming… (here the FAW V5)

* See the Top 390 All-models and Top 57 All-brands by clicking on the title! *

* Check out 1970-2013 Historical Data for Russia here! *

Check out my Trans-Siberian Photo Report here (11 articles, hundreds of photos!)

After 3 consecutive years of growth, Russian car sales are down 5% year-on-year in 2013 to 2,777,447 registrations, still the 2nd-best ever annual result in history below the record 2,935,111 units of 2012. For the first time in a full year, the Lada Granta logically dominates the models ranking thanks to sales up 38% to 166,947 units and 6% share. With the Largus up 296% to #9 for its first full year in market, that’s pretty much the only piece of good news for local manufacturer Lada, down 15% overall this year to just 16.4% share vs. 18.4% in 2012. In fact, while the 2012 models podium was 100% Lada (Priora-Granta-Kalina), this year the Granta is the only Lada in the Top 6!

Renault Duster

French manufacturer Renault, Lada’s new owner, is faring much better: up 11% to become the #2 carmaker in the country and pass the 200,000 annual sales milestone for the first time in Russia at 210,099 and 7.6% share. This is in large part due to the smashing success of the Duster, up 77% and 13 spots year-on-year to land at a splendid 4th place with 83,702 sales and 3% share, peaking at #3 in November, while the Logan and Sandero are down 13 and 10% respectively – still waiting for the new generation to arrive. Kia and Hyundai both step up one notch while Chevrolet is down 3 to #5.

Lifan X60

Other great performers in the brands ranking include Mercedes (+19%), BMW (+12%), Audi (+8%), SsangYong (+9%), Honda (+20%) and Subaru (+18%) but the biggest gains are delivered by 3 Chinese carmakers: Geely (+55%), Great Wall (+39%) and Lifan (+34%). Back to the models ranking where the Hyundai Solaris, up a further 3% on 2012 to stay at #2 and deliver the highest ever annual total for a ‘foreign’ model (even though it is produced locally) at 113,911 units and 4.1% share. This shouldn’t be surprising if you followed my Trans-Siberian Photo Report last year where the Solaris was very consistently successful in all cities I visited.

Toyota RAV4 sales are up 47% in 2013 in Russia.

Other great achievers in the Russian models ranking in 2013 include the VW Polo inside the annual Top 6 for the very first time at #6 with 72,565 sales, the Nissan Qashqai up 11% to #17 and peaking at #8 in December, Toyota RAV4 up 9 spots and 47% to #19 and 39,885 sales, Kia Cee’d up 50% and 11 ranks to #20 and 34,981 units and the Hyundai ix35 up 13% to #24 and 31,706 sales.

Previous post: Russia December 2013: Lada Kalina #3 in market back in positive

One year ago: Russia Full Year 2012: Lada Priora #1, Granta 4,800 sales below

Two years ago: Russia Full Year 2011: Lada Kalina leads for the first time

Full Year 2013 Top 390 All-models and Top 57 All-brands Ranking Tables below.