The first half of the year confirmed a startling fact for the global car market: the Tesla Model Y emerged as the world’s top seller. Autostat notes this achievement, citing Focus2move data, with the EV crossover moving 581,000 units across 162 countries, edging out last year’s performance by about 2 percent as the model continued its remarkable global rollout.
In the runners-up positions, the Toyota Corolla held a strong second place with 544,000 deliveries, up 5.7 percent year over year. Close behind, the Toyota RAV4 secured third with 498,000 units, demonstrating a robust 23.2 percent increase compared with the previous period.
The Ford F-Series posted 411,000 sales, keeping it among the strongest performers, while the Kia K5 registered 373,000 units. Honda CR-V occupied sixth place with 362,000 units, followed by the Chevrolet Silverado at 328,000 and the Hyundai Tucson with 296,000 sales.
Turning to the Russian market, total new-car sales for the first six months of 2024 reached about 700,000. Of these, roughly 400,000 were from Chinese brands, with domestic producer AvtoVAZ accounting for around 200,000 units. This pattern underscored a reshaping of the local auto landscape, driven by growing demand for affordability and value from foreign brands.
Analysts anticipate further expansion of the Chinese passenger-car fleet in Russia, predicting a rise of about 28.3 percent to 1.86 million units by the end of 2024. If this trajectory holds, Chinese brands could account for roughly 4 percent of the market share. Looking ahead, experts suggest that within a few years Chinese automakers may break into the country’s top five, potentially surpassing traditional leaders from France and the United States, who currently hold market shares around 6 percent and 7 percent respectively.
Alongside these shifts, industry observers have long tracked the ongoing discussion about the average cost of a new car in Russia, recognizing that price dynamics remain a key factor influencing buying decisions across segments and brands.