Russia's car imports showed a significant correction in August 2026: whether new or used passenger cars, imports fell by about 15% compared with July...

According to the latest data from Russian auto data agency Autostat quoted by Interfax, after several months of growth, Russian auto imports showed a significant correction in August 2026: whether new or used passenger cars, the import volume was lower than in July. About 15%.

However, judging from year-on-year data, new car imports still maintain high growth, while changes in the used car market are more worthy of attention-Russia's new charge-back (утилиза р и о н ный сбор) rules are completely changing the structure of imported models. Used cars with more than 160 horsepower that used to occupy the mainstream now only accountfor about 2%.

Imports both fell in August, but the proportion of parallel imports rose to nearly 60%.

Dmitry Yarygin, head of Autostat's strategic project, revealed that Russia imported 37,700 new passenger cars in August, a 29% increase from the same period last year, but a 15.1% decrease from 44,400 in July.

Interestingly, although the import volume has declined, the proportion of "unofficial channels" has hit a phased high. Yarekin said that parallel imports of vehicles through individuals, unofficial dealers and traders accounted for nearly 59% of total new car imports in August.

In terms of brands, Changan became the first brand to import new cars in August, while Geely Cityray was the most popular imported new model. This also shows that China brands not only firmly control the supply side, but also continue to increase their actual influence in Russia's parallel import system.

Source country data is more intuitive: among new cars imported by Russia in August,China accounted for 72.5%, far ahead; Kyrgyzstan accounted for 16.2%, Japan 3.2%, Belarus 2.5%, and South Korea 2.4%. China remains the most important external supply market for new Russian cars, while Kyrgyzstan continues to play an important entrepot node.

Imported 42,900 used cars: China's share has risen to 29.1%

In terms of used cars, Russia imported a totalof 42,900 used passenger carsof age in August, a year-on-year decrease of 6%, and a decrease of about 15% from the 50,500 vehicles in July.

Japan still maintains its position as the largest source country, accounting for 56% of Russia's imports ofused carsin August; but China's share hasrisen to 29.1%, ranking second steadily. South Korea accounted for 7.3%, Georgia and Belarus accounted for 2.2% and 2.1% respectively.

In terms of models, Toyota remains the number one brand of imported used cars, and Toyota Corolla continues to be the most popular model. This structure once again shows that "China origin" and "China brand" cannot be equated. Among the used cars Russia purchases from China, there are also a large number of international brand models such as Toyota, Volkswagen, Audi, and Honda. China's huge car ownership and abundant car sources are becoming an important supply pool for the Russian import market.

For domestic used car exporters, China's share of Russia's second-hand imports is close to 30%, which is more meaningful than simply observing the sales of China brands. Russian buyers are gradually accepting "China channel vehicle sources." The next competition will focus on price, vehicle condition, certification and customs clearance certainty.

Models with more than 160 horsepower have dropped from about 60% to 2%, which must be taken seriously.

The biggest structural change in Russia's used car imports in August still came from the charge-back policy.

Sergey Udalov, executive director of Autostat, said that among all imported used cars, models with engine power of more than 160 horsepower currently account for just over 2%. Before the implementation of the new rules on return charges, this power range accounted for about 60% of the import volume.

The reduction from 60% to 2% is no longer a slight change in consumer preferences, but taxes and fees that directly reshape the product structure.

Udalov bluntly said that the imported used car market has "adapted to the new rebate charges." Importers no longer purchase large quantities of high-power models, but concentrate their orders on vehicles with 160 horsepower and less and landing costs that are easier to control.

This has strong practical guiding significance for the selection of products by China exporters. When Russian customers make inquiries, they cannot just look at the purchase price in China. Even if a high-horsepower model comes from cheap domestic vehicles, it may completely lose its price competitiveness after recycling fees are calculated. In contrast, compact cars and SUVs near 140-160 horsepower, as well as mature brand models familiar to Russian consumers, are more likely to form stable orders.

written in the end

The 15% month-on-month decline in August indicates that Russia's import market has cooled down in the short term. What is worth noting is not two increasingly stable trends: China has captured nearly 30% of Russia's used car imports, while models with more than 160 horsepower have shrunk from about 60% in the past to about 2%. The selection rules for the Russian market have been rewritten by recycling fees. Next, when dealing with second-hand Russian cars, instead of chasing high-configuration and high-horsepower, it is better to give priority to finding models with less than 160 horsepower, high local recognition, mature parts, and easy certification; then calculate the purchase price in China, logistics, recycling fees and customs clearance costs together, which is much more important than just looking at whether domestic car sources are "cheap enough."

Source: Guangdong Good Car

[Disclaimer] The content of this website (including pictures and texts) originates from the Internet, and the copyright belongs to the original author. Respect the rights and interests of originality, and select content is only used for information sharing. If copyright disputes are involved, please contact us to handle them in a timely manner