The survey explores interest in reviving Soviet era car brands among Russians
A majority of Russians polled express support for bringing back car brands from the Soviet period. This finding is reported by TASS, citing the study called Invention of the Automobile. The data show that 73 percent of respondents view the revival of Russian brands from the Soviet era as a good idea, while 27 percent oppose reintroducing these legendary names to today’s market. The results reveal a clear enthusiasm for a nod to automotive heritage alongside the prospect of modernizing the domestic car industry.
Interest in reviving former Soviet brands is strongest in specific age groups. Among 18 to 25 year olds, and again among those aged 56 to 65, the idea receives notable support from car enthusiasts. In the overall survey, 46 percent of participants expressed a positive attitude toward reviving the Moskvich brand in particular. There is also broad interest in resuming production under the Oka and Volga names, with more than half of respondents indicating favorable views on these brands returning to the market. A quarter of participants feel that reviving these brands would help preserve automotive traditions rooted in the domestic industry. Additionally, about 32 percent believe these brands should be kept entirely Russian rather than adapted into models aligned with Chinese manufacturing. The August 2023 survey polled drivers aged 18 to 65 and offers a snapshot of public sentiment about the potential cultural and economic value of resurrecting these symbolic names.
Earlier industry data noted a strong market activity in the used car sector. In August, 647 thousand secondhand vehicles were sold in the Russian market, a year-over-year increase of roughly 65 percent. This rise in used car transactions comes alongside the broader discussion of legacy brands and their place in current consumer choices, highlighting how nostalgia, national pride, and practical considerations intersect in the automotive sector. The survey results align with a broader trend of renewed interest in historical brand identities and the potential for legacy names to influence today’s vehicle design, labeling, and market positioning. Marked reflections on these sentiments are attributed to the source material from TASS for the August 2023 data, and they illustrate the ongoing interplay between sentiment, policy, and market opportunities in Russia’s automotive landscape.