In 2022, Russia saw a higher number of vehicle fires among domestic brands, with Lada, GAZ, and UAZ leading the statistics. This assessment comes from a study prepared for socialbites.ca by VSK Insurance House, focusing on reported fire incidents involving cars with boat insurance policies.
The analysis indicates that domestic brands accounted for a notable portion of car fires, with Lada, GAZ, and UAZ together responsible for roughly a quarter of such incidents. Specifically, these three brands represented 24.2% of vehicle fire cases in the year studied.
Following the domestic brands, foreign makes also appeared in the data. Renault, Toyota, and Hyundai together accounted for about 12.1% of the documented fires. Scania appeared as a contributing factor to the remaining portion of fires in the top tier, rounding out the initial set of notable brands.
Within the Lada lineup, Vesta models showed the highest incidence of fire among the brand’s offerings. Among UAZ, the Patriot SUV with the Gazelle model were most frequently linked to fire events in the dataset.
For Renault, the Arkana model logged the greatest number of fires. Among Toyota vehicles, the Land Cruiser Prado was the most frequently reported, while Hyundai’s Creta topped the fires list within its category.
Industry observers highlight certain warning signs that may precede a vehicle fire. A former executive of a national automotive association noted that a consistent, faint smell of smoke inside the cabin and occasional illumination or flashing of the dashboard indicators can serve as early indicators of potential danger. Monitoring such signals and seeking immediate mechanical evaluation can reduce risk and improve safety for drivers and passengers.
Overall, the 2022 data underscore the importance of routine maintenance, early problem detection, and awareness of model-specific risk factors in preventing vehicle fires across both domestic and foreign brands. The findings also suggest that owners should remain vigilant for unusual electrical or mechanical symptoms and pursue professional inspection when anomalies arise, especially in vehicles with higher reported fire frequencies.