Over the past six months, prices for used Japanese cars that are not subject to an export ban to Russia have risen by about 21 percent. In the same period, models that Russia bans from import saw a 20 percent price increase, while new cars in the same category climbed by roughly 27 percent. These observations come from a study summarized by an automotive portal and reported by a major Russian media outlet.
According to the study, the cost of so‑called mileage‑free almost‑new cars in Russia jumped by 27 percent, rising from 1.74 million rubles to about 2.2 million rubles. Analysts cited by the portal noted that the increase in prices for used and lightly used equivalents moved in near step with the almost‑new sector.
In June 2023, the average price for cars not falling under the export ban stood around 580 thousand rubles. By November, that average had grown to about 703 thousand rubles. For vehicles that did fall under the prohibited category, the average price rose from roughly 1.47 million rubles to about 1.77 million rubles during the same period.
It should be noted that starting August 9, 2023, Japan prohibited exports of cars with engine displacements larger than 1.9 liters to Russia. This policy shift has influenced supply dynamics and pricing for both imported, unbanned models and the broader used-car market in Russia.
Additionally, there has been ongoing discussion about which new electric cars have proven most popular in the Russian market, with observations suggesting strong consumer interest across electric offerings amid broader shifts in vehicle preferences. This context helps explain why several segments within the used and almost‑new car markets have shown notable price movements over the covered period.