Price trends across popular models in March 2022
The study bases its average prices on manufacturer suggested retail prices, while the actual storefront prices at dealerships tend to be higher. Bank авто experts note that the Lada Granta is available around 1.2 million rubles and the Lada Vesta near 2.1 million rubles.
Since the start of March 2022, the Polo from Volkswagen has shown the most notable price rise, climbing by 49 percent to about 628 thousand rubles above its February level. Today, the Kaluga factory is not producing this model, and new Polo units are not offered for sale.
Experts explain that although the Kaluga plant’s production may have simply been paused rather than permanently halted, the prospect of never again seeing a solid B-class model from the German brand has generated significant buzz. This surge in prices comes as surprising given that the average price for the car barely moved through February, increasing by only a small amount.
In March, Renault Duster occupied second place in price growth, now listed at roughly two million rubles at factory pricing, up by 530 thousand rubles or 37 percent. Kia Rio followed, with a 32 percent rise or about 390 thousand rubles. Domestically produced Frets also appear in the top five. The Largus model is rated at an average of about 1.7 million rubles by the factory, up 382 thousand rubles or 29 percent from February. Vesta saw a rise of 221 thousand rubles, about 20 percent higher than the prior month.
The graph below illustrates the March 1–21, 2022 dynamics for the most popular car prices, reflecting the ongoing shifts in the market during that period.
|
New. |
Make and model |
February 2022, rub. |
March 1-21, 2022, rub. |
Dynamics for March 01-21 |
|
a |
Volkswagen Polo |
1 272 300 |
1 900 638 |
49% |
|
2 |
Renault Duster |
1 423 462 |
1 953 692 |
37% |
|
3 |
kia Rio |
1 202 400 |
1 592 400 |
32% |
|
4 |
lada Largus |
1 322 160 |
1 703 749 |
29% |
|
five |
lada Vesta |
1 117 202 |
1 338 058 |
twenty% |
|
6 |
Hyundai solaris |
1 182 786 |
1 419 500 |
twenty% |
|
7 |
Hyundai Crete |
1 638 706 |
1 948 706 |
19% |
|
8 |
lada Niva legend |
881 838 |
1 035 900 |
17% |
|
nine |
lada granta |
746 480 |
876 035 |
17% |
Market observers admit that price movements remain highly unpredictable. They caution that if foreign models halt production permanently, remaining inventory could fetch prices that seem exorbitant by comparison to yesterday. Even brands willing to resume production in Russia may face a 15–20 percent monthly growth in pricing, which does not look favorable in the longer term. In short, upcoming days of March are likely to see prices remain more influenced by geopolitical developments in Ukraine than by the usual dynamics of business operations and consumer markets, according to Bankauto analysts.
Illustration provided by Depositphotos