Russia January 2017: Lada hits highest market share in over 5 years

February 9, 2017
Matt Gasnier

The Kia Rio is the best-selling vehicle in Russia in January.

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Just as local manufacturers association AEB had predicted a recovery in 2017, January sales in Russia are down a further 5% year-on-year on an already very low base to just 77.916 registrations. This is the weakest month in seven years and only the fourth time in the past decade Russian registrations fall to five-digit figures with January 2010 (74.086 units), January 2016 (81.849) and February 2010 (91.922). Homegrown market leader Lada goes against the grain and posts a 5% year-on-year gain to hit 21% share, to be compared with 18.7% over the FY2016. After a slump to a lowest-ever 13% in December 2014, this is Lada’s highest market share at home since September 2011 (21.6%) and only its third time above 20% in over five years (20.3% in April 2016 and 20.2% in February 2014).

First podium ranking at home for the Lada Vesta.

In second place, Kia soars 14% to 13.2% share while sister brand Hyundai drops 16% to 8.6%, distancing Renault (+4%), Volkswagen (+4%), Nissan (-6%) and Toyota (-37%). Skoda is up two spots on December to #8, Mercedes up five to #9 and GAZ up 25% year-on-year to #10. Further down, Ford (+0.5%), Audi (+3%), Mazda (+7%), Datsun (+11%), Peugeot (+16%), Citroen (+20%), Jeep (+21%), Infiniti (+27%), Cadillac (+63%), Chevrolet (+44%), Changan (+174%) and Jaguar (+294%) brave the adverse conditions and are some of the brands posting year-on-year gains in Russia in January.

The Skoda Rapid hits a record 7th place this month in Russia.

Model-wise, the Kia Rio surges 60% to take the lead for the 5th time ever (after November 2014, August, September and October 2016), dislodging the Lada Granta (-37%) while the 2016 leader, the Hyundai Solaris, freefalls 49% to #4. This means the Lada Vesta (+149%) leaps onto the monthly podium at home for the very first time. The Hyundai Creta is back up one spot to #5, holding onto the title of #1 SUV in Russia that has been its property ever since its launch last August. The Skoda Rapid lurches up 10 spots on last month to hit a record 7th place (previous best: #9 in May 2016), the Chevrolet Niva is up 41% to #9, the Lada 4×4 up 1% to #10 and the Lada XRAY up two spots on December to a best-ever #11. Notice also the Kia Sportage up 14 ranks to #12, the VW Tiguan up 12 to #16, Nissan X-Trail up 11 to #18, Lada Priora up 11 to #20 and Mitsubishi Outlander up 10 to #25.

The Lada XRAY ends January just 49 sales off a first Top 10 ranking at home.