Gloomy Near-Term Outlook for Russia as Sales Slide Again in October

Russia’s new-vehicle market continued its decline in October, signaling a revival is unlikely before year’s end.

The Association of European Businesses’ Automobile Manufacturers Committee data shows the month’s sales fell 8% from like-2012 to 234,481 units, leaving the 10-month total down 7% at 2,281,181.

Committee Chairman Joerg Schreiber says the general sales trend remains weak on a consistent level.

“Neither do we see signs for improvement, nor for further deterioration,” Schreiber says in a statement. “As we are approaching the year end, it becomes clearer that the long-awaited market stabilization is unlikely to happen before the end of 2013.”

Lada continued to dominate the market despite a 25% October sales dive to 37,484 units, leaving its year-to-date total down 15% at 380,852.

Renault boosted deliveries 9% to 18,413 units in October, while third-place Kia rose 5% to 17,609.

Chevrolet finished the month in fifth place with deliveries down 22% to 14,576 units. Ford, in ninth place, saw October sales drop 17% to 12,228 units.

The Avtovaz-Renault-Nissan Group saw combined October sales plummet 25% to 68,749 units, while Volkswagen Group followed with a 10% drop in deliveries to 24,260. Third-place General Motors suffered a 16% decline in October to 21,291 units.

Lada’s Granta was the best-selling model in October, down 6% at 13,357 units, followed by Hyundai’s Solaris, off just 1% to 9,738.