Consumers can locate the desired model online, arrange remote booking, and complete payment remotely, among other conveniences.
Transferring funds from rubles to tenge is straightforward through the bank handling the payment. Branches of Sberbank and VTB, along with several local banks, accept Mir cards and enable cashless spending through them.
How to choose?
Price clearly stands as the primary criterion. Still, it is wise to avoid the hassle of gathering certification documents and wrestling with a scarce era. For a smoother experience, it makes sense to favor models manufactured within the EAEU region.
The Hyundai Accent is often considered a close counterpart to the Solaris. While the core systems align, equipment levels differ significantly. In Kazakhstan, the entry price starts at 1.12 million rubles for the 1.4 engine with a manual transmission.
There are ten Chevrolet models officially available in Kazakhstan, including the Malibu sedan, the Damas microvan, and five crossovers Tracker, Equinox, Trailblazer, Traverse, and Tahoe. All are gathered in Kostanay, within the EAEU territory.
The Kostanay plant SaryarkaAvtoProm manufactures vehicles for Chevrolet, Lada, Kia, Renault, JAC, and UAZ. Almaty hosts Hyundai assembly for cars and commercials. The Chevrolet name also covers products from the Uzbek company UzAvto, previously sold under the Ravon brand. Thus the Cobalt corresponds to the Ravon R4, Spark to Ravon R2, and Nexia remains Nexia across former Aveo generations.
In the first half of 2022, the most popular vehicles imported by Russians from Kazakhstan included the Chevrolet Cobalt, Chevrolet Nexia, and Hyundai Accent (not officially available in Russia), along with Hyundai Tucson and Hyundai Creta. Freight costs in Kazakhstan are not cheaper than in Russia. Consequently, the Cobalt and Nexia often lead as the most affordable foreign cars. It is also noted that UzAvto announced a component shortage and a temporary halt to supplies to Russia toward the end of April.
Prices for selected models from official dealers
| Russia | Kazakhstan | Belarus | |
| Lada Granta 1.6 MCP | 580,000 | 871 200 | 738 204 |
| Chevrolet Nexia/Ravon Nexia R3 1.5 ITUC | 595 725 | 885 456 | 571 268 |
| Hyundai Creta 1.6 manual 4×2 | 1 909 000 | 1 519 056 | 1 596 190 |
| Kia Rio 1.6 automatic | 1 595 900 | 1 297 296 | 1 520 310 |
| Kia Sportage | 2 609 900, 2.0 MCP 4×2 | 2 073 456, 2.4 automatic transmission 4×4 | 2 633 036, 2.0 manual gearbox 4×4 |
| Renault Duster | 1 120 491, 1.6 MCP 4×4 | 1 503 216, 1.6 MCP 4×4 | 1 596 190, 1.5D manual gearbox 4×4 |
Remark. The listed prices reflect official dealer stock levels as of the first ten days of May and are quoted in rubles. Some Kazakhstan and Belarusian models may not align perfectly with Russian specifications. It is not always possible to determine how much dealers will charge for each individual vehicle configuration.
What else should be paid?
Customs duties are typically prepaid by the border decree through the Common Customs Tariff for EAEU countries. If the dealer has covered recycling fees, a private buyer does not incur extra charges when moving the car into Russia. Nevertheless, several mandatory steps remain, commonly referred to as clearance.
1. Customs clearance fee (roubles) depends on the vehicle value assessed at check time.
- Up to 1.2 million rubles – 2000
- Up to 2.5 million rubles – 5500
- Up to 5.0 million rubles – 7500
- Up to 10.0 million rubles – 20,000
2. Excise duty is determined by engine power. For 2022, rates were as follows:
- up to 90 hp – 0
- from 90 to 150 hp – 53 rubles per horsepower
- from 150 to 200 hp – 511 rubles per liter or equivalent
- from 200 to 300 hp – 836 rubles per horsepower
3. For models not certified in the Russian Federation, a copy of OTTS is required to obtain Vehicle Type Approval or SBKTS Design Safety Certificate for used vehicles.
4. If ERA-GLONASS is missing, it must be installed. Most models include it. The EEC had extended a period allowing cars produced within the EAEU to be imported without ERA up to December 31, 2022, while cars made elsewhere require ERA where applicable.
5. OSAGO transit insurance can be arranged remotely.
What is needed when importing a car from Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation
- Passport
- Purchase agreement and acceptance certificate
- PTS with deregistration indication from Kazakhstan
- Transit numbers and OSAGO
- Customs declaration
- OTTS if required for the model
Some Kazakhstani firms offer customs clearance, OTTS procurement, and car delivery to Russia, including container transport options.
What about the warranty?
Warranty for cars imported from abroad varies by brand and region. Both Russian and Kazakh dealers may refuse warranty service. A common reason is that the model is used in Russia without proper modification for local use.
- Five notable car novelties of the summer 2022 issue are highlighted here.
- A wide range of spare parts and consumables under the Za Rulem brand helps shoppers save. The full catalog is accessible via a linked reference.
- Technical topics and automotive insights are also available through Viber channels.