In the first seven months of the year, Russia saw 78,460 cars imported from Japan for private use, according to Avtostat. That figure is about a third higher than the same period in 2021. By comparison, dealers moved 368,850 new cars domestically from January to July, including those produced locally and abroad, based on AEB data. The question on many buyers’ minds is why right-hand drive vehicles are drawing such strong interest. The answer often comes down to price.
Auctions in Japan offer opportunities to acquire cars from model years 2011 through 2019 at prices typically ranging between 600,000 and 1.6 million rubles.
One of the most frequently discussed options is the Honda Freed, featuring a 1.5-liter engine and four-wheel drive, a 2012 model available in Novosibirsk for about 850,000 rubles according to industry sources. In second place is the Toyota Corolla Fielder, a 2019 model with similar drivetrain, listed around 1.13 million rubles. A close third is the Toyota Esquire, a 2015 hybrid priced near 1.64 million rubles, as noted by regional analysts.
Other popular choices include the Toyota Passo, a 2011 model priced around 560,000 rubles, the Honda Vezel crossover at about 1.46 million rubles for a 2015 example, and the Mazda CX-5 from 2019 at roughly 1.57 million rubles. These patterns reflect a broader strategy among buyers who weigh vehicle price against import costs, eventual maintenance, and availability of spare parts.