In the Russian market for pre-owned passenger cars, activity remained robust through the first eleven months of 2023, with total transactions exceeding 6.1 million and a year-over-year rise of about 24 percent. This growth signal reflects sustained demand across the resale sector and a broad willingness among buyers to upgrade or replace aging vehicles at a time of evolving financing options and shifting consumer priorities.
During November, the second-hand car market saw a noticeable uptick in re-registrations, climbing by 6.5 percent year over year. The monthly figure advanced from 517 thousand units in the previous November to approximately 551 thousand cars, underscoring a seasonal momentum that typically accompanies end-of-year purchasing decisions, as well as continued confidence in the used-car value proposition for practical, budget-conscious buyers.
Looking at the eleven-month stretch, foreign-brand models accounted for about 4.46 million of the total second-hand sales, representing a 27 percent increase from the 3.52 million units seen in the same period a year earlier. Domestic brands also posted solid gains, with second-hand passenger car sales rising by roughly 17 percent to 1.67 million units. This pattern highlights a diversified buyer base that continues to prize a mix of global brand appeal and locally trusted options, alongside ongoing considerations of maintenance costs, parts availability, and dealership support networks.
Among the brands driving the used-car market, domestic models have consistently held a strong position. In the January–November period of 2023, local favorite Lada led readership and sales velocity in the pre-owned segment, followed by popular global names such as Toyota, Kia, Nissan, Hyundai, and Volkswagen. The ranking underscores the breadth of consumer choice in the market, where price competitiveness, reliability perceptions, and brand familiarity play pivotal roles in purchase decisions as buyers balance upfront cost against long-term ownership experience.
On the topic of electrification, the market has been gradually absorbing the presence of electric vehicles in key urban centers, with a growing footprint in cities like Krasnodar and Moscow. The expansion of charging infrastructure, supportive municipal policies, and consumer curiosity around electric driving are shaping a more diverse vehicle mix in the second-hand market. While electric options still carry a premium compared to traditional internal combustion engine models in several regions, the long-term total cost of ownership and potential savings from reduced fuel expenses are factors that buyers weigh when considering a pre-owned electric vehicle worth a future resale value.
Overall, these trends indicate a dynamic used-car landscape in Russia through late 2023, characterized by strong demand across both foreign and domestic brands, rising re-registration activity, and a gradual but meaningful shift toward electrification in select markets. Buyers are responding to a combination of affordability, value retention, and practical considerations such as service accessibility and the availability of certified pre-owned programs that can provide additional peace of mind amid a fluctuating vehicle market.