Russia Feels Sharp Rise in Car Prices Across Domestic and Foreign Markets
Prices for domestic passenger cars in Russia have climbed by 20.7 percent from the year’s start through March 18, while foreign cars—whether imported or assembled locally—have surged by 23.7 percent. The latest figures come from Rosstat, the Russian statistics agency. This spike reflects ongoing macroeconomic pressures, currency dynamics, and shifts in supply chains that are reshaping the Russian auto market for both local brands and imported models.
Looking at just one week, from March 11 to March 18, domestic brand vehicles increased by 7.4 percent, while foreign models rose by 3.2 percent. The momentum in price growth across the sector paints a picture of a market reacting to broader economic fluctuations, with domestic and international brands following different pacing while trending upward overall.
Since the start of the year, all automakers have raised prices, and some have adjusted them more than once per month. The revisions reflect strong exchange rate movements observed since the end of February, which altered costs along the supply chain. For certain models, the increases are notably higher than the overall market average. Bank Avto estimates show the VW Polo up by about 49 percent from March 1 to March 21, the Renault Duster up around 37 percent, and the Kia Rio up roughly 32 percent. These figures illustrate how currency shifts and import costs feed into sticker prices across both domestic and foreign vehicles.
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