Robert Besser
26 Mar 2023, 15:26 GMT+10
MOSCOW, Russia: As western automakers have left Russia since the start of the Ukraine war, the Chinese have rushed in to fill the void and now 40 percent of all new car sales in Russia are Chinese brands.
However, this has not been easy for Russian consumers, who are unfamiliar with Chinese brands, which charge more than the equivalent western autos.
Newly released data from analytical agency Autostat and consulting company PPK shows that 40 percent of recent Russian car purchases were Chinese brands, such as Haval, Chery and Geely. The large jump in sales of Chinese cars compares to Chinese cars only representing 10 percent of new car sales in Russia in January-February of 2022.
The Chinese moved in to the Russian auto market following the departure of Renault, Nissan and Mercedes.
However, Chinese cars are often seen as being of lower quality and higher priced than western autos.
Stepan, 28, from Moscow noted, "I managed to buy a Skoda in 2022. If you want my honest opinion, the difference (with Chinese cars) is massive," he told Reuters.
Czech carmaker Skoda Auto, owned by Volkswagen, is in the final stages of selling its Russian business, in the wake of Western sanctions against Russia.
Meanwhile, Alexander, 74, has also bought a Chinese auto. "I believe that in time the reliability will improve," he said. "For example, I know that (Geely) Tugella has a Volvo engine. This sold this car for me," as quoted by Reuters.
Meanwhile, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said, after a visit to China in December, that Chinese autos were much improved over the past and Russian consumers' perceptions were out of date.
"We used to laugh at some of their designs, but I went for a ride in a local car and looked at others," he said. "I'll say bluntly: The car I drove was certainly no worse than a Mercedes."
Most Western automakers, who have fought with domestic carmakers for market share since they began building factories in Russia in the early 2000s, ceased operations last spring.
However, Vladimir Shestak, general director of Altair-Auto in Vladivostok, which largely sold Mercedes-Benz and Geely brands, said, "We've lived our whole lives focused on European, Japanese, American brands and did not especially take the Chinese market into account, which...has developed at an incredible rate," as quoted by Reuters.
Also, China's Haval is now being assembled in Russia and the revived Soviet-era Moskvich is using engine parts, design and engineering from China.
Get a daily dose of Baltimore Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Baltimore Star.
More InformationGRAND ISLE STATE PARK, Louisiana: Almost two years after Hurricane Ida struck the barrier island and destroyed most of its ...
YANGON, Myanmar - A regime court sentenced to death five people detained for their alleged involvement in a deadly August ...
HARTFORD, Connecticut: Following a state Senate debate and vote to approve Connecticut's most comprehensive gun legislation since the laws put ...
SPENCER, Massachusetts: Spencer, Massachusetts Fire Chief Robert Parsons has said that a June 2 fire that burned down a 160-year-old ...
MOSCOW, Russia: Journalists from countries that are "unfriendly" to Russia will be banned from covering this year's St. Petersburg International ...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Landowners in California participated this week in a class organized by the El Dorado Amador Prescribed Burn ...
PARIS, France: European plane manufacturer Airbus is reported to be close to a record agreement to sell 500 narrow-body jets ...
TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan: DuPont, Chemours and Corteva have reached an agreement to pay $1.18 billion to resolve complaints of causing ...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks were directionless Tuesday as investors had little to digest ahead of next week's ...
MENLO PARK, California: Facebook parent Meta has said that under a trial that could last through the end of June, ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The Biden administration is expected to approve a deal allowing General Electric to assemble jet engines in India ...
TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan and the United States are set to sign the first deal under a new trade framework, marking ...