Russia Full Year 2017: Kia Rio 2nd foreign model #1 in 47 years, market up 11.9%

The Kia Rio is the best-selling vehicle in Russia in 2017.

* See the Top 60 All-brands and Top 25 models by clicking on the title *

Consult 50 years worth of Russian Historical Data here

There is now a second Full Year 2017 Report with the Top 365 All-models

After freefalling for four consecutive years, the Russian new car market has bottomed out in 2017 with deliveries up a sturdy 11.9% to 1.595.737 units. Local behemoth Lada outpaces its home market with a 17% gain to an improved 19.5% share, with Kia doing even better in 2nd place at +22% to 11.4% share. Hyundai (+9%) rounds up the podium but sees its share thaw to 9.9% ahead of Renault up 17% to 8.6%. Toyota (-0.3%), Volkswagen (+21%) and Nissan (+8%) mean the Top 7 brands are unchanged on 2016, while Skoda (+12%) overtakes GAZ (+5%) for #8 and Ford (+18%) passes UAZ (-15%) to re-enter the Top 10.

The Lada Vesta posts its first podium finish at home.

Further down, Mazda (+20%), Volvo (+26%), Datsun (+31%), Honda (+39%) and Mitsubishi (+45%) impress. Ravon (+733%) and Genesis (+2141%) were both launched in 2016 and accordingly show extravagant gains. Lifan continues to dominate Russian brands at #19 overall despite a 3% year-on-year drop, with Chery (+24%), Geely (-50%) and newcomer for 2017 Haval (#37) in tow. Below, Changan (+161%), Zotye (+261%) and Foton (+612%) shoot up whereas Dongfeng (-21%), FAW (-33%), BAW (-47%) and Brilliance (-75%) struggle. The second brand launch for 2017, HTM (aka Hawtai) lands at #52 with under 100 sales.

The Hyundai Creta is the best-selling SUV in Russia for 2017.

2016 was a historical year that saw the first foreign model to top the annual Russian charts for the first time in 47 years, since the creation of the Lada brand in 1970. The Hyundai Solaris was the best-selling nameplate in the country then, and if 2017 marks the second consecutive foreign-dominated annual models ranking, the crown goes to another nameplate: the Kia Rio (+10%) which topped the monthly charts nine times. The Lada Granta (+7%) is stuck in second place but ended the year up an encouraging 17% in December, then lodging its first five-digit monthly sales figure in two years. The Lada Vesta continues to gear up at +40% to its first annual podium ranking in 2017, missing out on a first monthly crown by just 42 units in November.

The Lada XRAY ends its first full year on the Russian market inside the Top 10. 

The Hyundai Solaris tumbles down 24% to 4th place, but far from a sudden exodus of local car buyers, this harsh decline is due to the discontinuation of its hatchback variant to make room for the Hyundai Creta built in the same plant. The Creta shoots up 152% to end its first full year in market at a stunning 5th place, the country’s most popular SUV. The Lada Largus is up 15% to #8, the Lada XRAY up 67% to #9 and #3 SUV below the Renault Duster for its first full year. The Renault Kaptur also shines at #12 (+122%), with the VW Tiguan (+160%), Datsun on-DO (+35%), Kia Sportage (+30%) and Mazda CX-5 (+19%) posting the biggest year-on-year gains in the remainder of the Top 25.

Previous month: Russia November 2017: Lada Vesta only 42 units off pole position

Previous year: Russia Full Year 2016: Hyundai Solaris ends 45 years of Lada domination

Two years ago: Russia Full Year 2015: Hyundai Solaris teases Lada Granta in market down 36%

Full Year 2017 Top 60 All-brands and Top 25 models vs. Full Year 2016 figures below.

Full December 2017 Top 55 All-brands and Top 25 models below.