Russia August 2018: Lada Vesta now only 35 sales off Kia Rio YTD

The Lada Vesta is the best-selling vehicle in Russia for the third month running. Picture zr.ru

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

The Russian new car market steps up 11% year-on-year in August to 147.388 registrations, marking a 16th consecutive double-digit gain and 18th consecutive uplift. This is the largest August result since 2014 (172.015), pulling the year-to-date tally up 16.2% to 1.140.061, also the highest at this stage of the year since 2014 (1.582.713). Homegrown brand leader Lada (+9%) grows slightly slower the the market, resulting in a 19.5% share vs. 20% so far this year. Kia (+25%) on the other hand posts the largest gain in the Top 7 and cements its #2 spot ahead of sister brand Hyundai (+4%) and Renault (+3%) more discreet. Skoda (+34%), Toyota (+23%), Nissan (+21%) and Volkswagen (+20%) all lodge very satisfying upticks in the remainder of the Top 10 while further down, Genesis (+283%), Honda (+115%), Mitsubishi (+93%), Jeep (+75%), Mini (+41%), Jaguar (+39%), Land Rover (+35%), Mazda (+31%) and BMW (+27%) impress the most alongside low-volume Chinese fares such as Zotye (+229%), Changan (+142%), Dongfeng (+82%), FAW (+65%), Geely (+51%) and Haval (+32%).

Thanks to a Cross variant, the Lada Largus is up 47% so far in 2018. Picture zr.ru

The Lada Vesta (+27%) manages a third consecutive monthly win, now finding itself just 35 (!) sales below the Kia Rio in the year-to-date order. It should logically be able to snap the YTD lead before the end of the year, and if doing so would become the first Lada to top the annual Russian charts since the Granta in 2015. This is win #4 for the Vesta (add January), moving it up one spot in the list of the most successful Ladas this decade below the Granta (40 monthly wins), Priora (12), Kalina (11) and Classic (6) but above the Samara (3). Note the Kia Rio has held the monthly Russian top spot 17 times so far (first in November 2014) and the Hyundai Solaris 11 times (first in January 2015).

The Lada 4×4 soars 22% year-on-year in August in Russia.

Below the Lada Granta (-18%) losing steam, the Hyundai Creta (+32%) climbs back up to #4 for the first time since February, eclipsing the VW Polo (+38%) with the Lada Largus (+46%) and XRAY (+27%) also posting strong improvements just below. At 40 years of age, the Lada 4×4 (+22%) still manages to double the market’s growth in August – just as a possible replacement was unveiled as a concept at the Moscow Auto Show – that also sees strong SUV push from the Hyundai Tucson (+152%), Kia Sportage (+90%), Mitsubishi Outlander (+54%), Nissan X-Trail (+42%), Nissan Qashqai (+23%) and Mazda CX-5 (+18%) making it 14 SUVs in the Top 25. The Kia Optima (+116%) is the lone sedan sporting a spectacular gain.

Previous month: Russia July 2018: Skoda shines, Lada Vesta leads and teases Kia Rio YTD

One year ago: Russia August 2017: Lada Granta snaps top spot in market up 16.7%

Full August 2018 Top 55 All-brands and Top 25 models below.