Canadian and American buyers are increasingly looking at importing cars from abroad, and automotive expert Igor Morzharetto, as cited by Profile, notes that the most economical import options tend to involve vehicles aged three to five years. The practical takeaway remains clear: older, yet still relatively new, cars often incur lower customs costs while delivering solid value compared with much newer models, making this a common strategy for cross-border vehicle purchases.
Morzharetto explains that for cars aged three to five years with engine displacements up to 1.0 liter, customs clearance charges run about €1.5 per cubic centimeter. For engines ranging from 1.0 to 1.5 liters, the duty rises to roughly €1.7 per cubic centimeter. Vehicles with larger engines will attract higher fees, yet those costs tend to stay more favorable than the charges associated with buying cars that are either younger than three years or older than five years. In other words, the middle age window often represents a practical balance between purchase price and import duties, according to the automotive expert’s assessment.
To illustrate the idea, a 2019 gasoline Volkswagen Tiguan with a 1.4-liter turbo engine producing 150 horsepower can be purchased in Germany for around €27,000. Converted to local currencies at the current exchange rate, this equates to roughly 1.8 million rubles. After completing all customs clearance steps in the destination country, the total cost for this Tiguan would be about 1.9 million rubles. On the local market, the same model frequently fetches prices in the 2.0 to 2.7 million ruble range, depending on condition, mileage, and seller positioning. This example highlights how import costs and market pricing interact in real-world scenarios, offering buyers a framework for evaluating whether importing a three-to-five-year-old example is financially sensible given current exchange rates and duties.
A similar case involves a Hyundai Santa Fe from 2019, transported from Germany. Including customs clearance, the total comes to approximately 1.8 million rubles, while local listings in Russia commonly present prices from about 2.9 to 3.5 million rubles for equivalent vehicles. These figures illustrate that the middle-ground age bracket can offer meaningful savings even after accounting for the added logistics and tax considerations tied to international purchases.
Beyond the numbers, regulatory changes also shape the import landscape. A recent decree signed by the Russian Prime Minister simplifies the registration process for vehicles brought in from abroad. The change means that certain models can be registered without mandatory ERA-GLONASS emergency call devices, a shift that reduces the initial bureaucratic burden and can shorten the overall timeline from purchase to on-road readiness. Buyers should stay informed about such regulatory updates, as they can directly influence the total landed price and the convenience of bringing a vehicle into the country. The policy adjustment underscores how government decisions remain intertwined with market dynamics, impacting both the cost and ease of ownership for imported cars. The evolving framework is an essential factor for anyone contemplating cross-border vehicle acquisition, from casual enthusiasts to fleet operators, and it highlights the importance of verifying current requirements before finalizing a purchase.