Russian Rally Continues With August Sales Up 16.7%

The Russian new-vehicle market tallies another double-digit monthly increase in August with deliveries rising 16.7% to 132,742 units.

Association of European Businesses Automobile Manufacturers Committee data shows last month’s growth – after an 18.6% jump in July – left the 8-month total up 9.6% at 980,921 units.

Committee Chairman Joerg Schreiber says while the recovery of the Russian car market is strong, year-to-date sales close to 1 million are still modest in the historical comparison.

“But it’s the fact of the recovery taking place – at this robust pace and for six consecutive months – that is most important for the time being,” he says in a statement.

Market leader Lada boosted its sales 25% in August to 26,211 units, leaving its year-to-date total up 16% at 192,944.

Kia climbed 29% to 15,050 units for the month to give it an 8-month result up 25% at 116,426.

Hyundai rose 13% in August to 13,446 units for a 10% year-to-date improvement at 95,986.

Ford finished the month in 10^th place with a 24% rise to 4,222 units and an 8-month total up 10% at 30,233.

The industry recovery is bypassing 13th-place Chevrolet, which showed an 11-unit year-on-year increase to 2,824 units in August, leaving it up 23 units year-to-date with 20,196.

Lada’s Granta was the month’s best-selling model, soaring 53.9% to 8,474 units. This edged out the Rio by just two units as the Kia model rose 18.0% to 8,472.

Hyundai’s Solaris followed, up 11.4% at 6,987 units.

After two-thirds of the year, Rio was the market leader, up 16.3% at 63,086 units. The Granta rose 5.0% to 58,604 units, ahead of Lada’s Vesta, ahead 44.6% at 47,780.

The industry started 2017 predicting the full-year market would rise just 4% to 1.48 million units, but with the recovery continuing the numbers are changing. “The AEB will update its 2017 full-year sales forecast next month,” Schreiber says.