The popularity of Japanese used cars in Russia has not waned, and the market's preference for "Japanese reliability" is still obvious...

In the Russian Far East and Siberia,"going to Japanese auctions to buy a car" is no longer new. However, Russian media NGS.RU recently reminded in a "popular science draft" for consumers that exchange rate fluctuations, changes in logistics and parallel import chains have been superimposed in the past few years, coupled with the adjustment of the 2026 scrapping recycling fee (утильсбор) rules, Japanese car imports have changed from "watching and ordering" to a more complex cost game. Despite this, the popularity of Japanese used cars in Russia has not waned, and the market's preference for "Japanese reliability" is still obvious.

NGS.RU pointed out that one of the most critical institutional changes in the Russian auto market in 2026 is the exponential adjustment of scrapping recycling fees: for vehicles with a power of no more than 160 horsepower, preferential gear is still reserved-new cars are about 3400 rubles and cars are more than three years old. About 5200 rubles; while imported cars with more than 160 horsepower are more subject to commercial rates,"an increase of hundreds of times." This article directly rewrites the order structure of Japanese cars. Alyona Gulina, head of the Siberian company Sibir-Yaponiya, said in the article that from the perspective of business principles, the procurement process from Japanese auctions has not changed fundamentally in 2026, but "now basically no longer order cars with more than 160 horsepower," but she also added that such cars were not the main force of orders in the past.

The reason why Japanese cars have been popular for a long time in Russia is attributed to two points: first, Japan's annual inspections are strict and the cost of using the car is high. Many car owners will sell the car when the car is still in good condition and the mileage is not large; second, Japan's auction system is mature. Each car has a detailed auction evaluation form, including mileage, appearance scratches, repair traces and other information, and the price can also be "visible and tangible" in the transaction data. NGS.RU mentioned that Russia has always been an important buyer of Japanese auction cars, and demand is particularly concentrated in some months: for example, in April 2025, Japan exported more than 12,800 vehicles to Russia.

In terms of model preferences, Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander, Honda CR-V, etc. are still on the "hot list". However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find old cars that are "cheap and easy to use": the 2008-2012 models are most frequently inquired for the right price, but "there are almost no cars in real condition." At the same time, Mikhail Krylov, an automotive expert at "RDM-Import", observed that the market demand for newer Korean cars of the 2016-2017 model year is increasing because they are cheaper than Japanese models of the same age and are even more suitable for Russian users in terms of certain configuration orientations (such as adhering to traditional AT gearboxes).

When talking about the public opinion environment of China brands in Russia, Krylov described it as "attitude differentiation": Consumer concerns mainly focus on frequent changes in models and brands, and uncertain access to parts for some brands; he specifically mentioned that in addition to brands that are deeply localized in Russia (such as Haval), the after-sales and accessories of many China brands are still the trade-off point for users. For China used car exporters, the meaning of this passage is very realistic: Russian consumers are not rejecting China cars, but they will use "subsequent car certainty" to price the car-used cars without the support of parts and maintenance networks will have difficulty sustaining residual value.

Although taxes and fees are less friendly to high power, Russian buyers have not collectively switched to "only buying small emissions." Krylov said that based on their customer structure, about 70% of the next car will still want a crossover, even if it is urban-oriented models such as Toyota C-HR and Honda Vezel. However, due to restrictions on both sides of Russia and Japan, the color palette of models available for import in Japan has become lighter. Objectively, the mainstream car sources entering Russia are indeed more concentrated at 1.8L and below.

As for "can Japanese auctions save money?", auctions are essentially a closed system open to institutions. Individuals cannot enter directly. Russian buyers usually need to find intermediaries to bid. The advantages are large options, transparent vehicle condition information, and transaction prices are often closer to the real market; but the problem is also very direct-the inability to inspect the vehicle in person, the cross-border transportation and customs clearance cycle is long, and any delay on the way may lead to complex disputes with insurance and carriers. In contrast, although the "existing car" is more expensive, it is better to see and touch, and the risks are more controllable.

The biggest variable on the cost side is still the superposition of exchange rate and taxes. The auction price is quoted in Japanese yen, freight and partial settlement are often calculated in US dollars or euros, and the customs tax node lags behind the auction transaction time. Gulina explained that the current exchange rate is referenced when bidding, but for example, tariff deposits are often paid about one month after the car is purchased."No one knows the euro exchange rate after one month." The car may eventually become cheaper or suddenly become expensive. She also mentioned that the recent weakening of the yen would make Japan's car auction more cost-effective on the books, but the exchange rate fluctuates too much to make long-term forecasts.

In terms of the judgment of the "cost-effective range", imported cars that are 3-5 years old are usually regarded as the range with a "relatively ideal price formula": the tax calculation for this gear is more transparent and is calculated at a fixed rate based on displacement (The caliber given in the article is 3.5 euros/per cubic centimeter). However,"quasi-new cars" within three years are likely to lose the logic of "new, more valuable"-customs will take a higher value between the two algorithms (such as 54% of the car price or a fixed rate based on displacement), resulting in importing new cars becoming a "financial risk."

[Brief Comment] The report reflects two trends in the ecology of imported cars in Russia-first, the system directs demand to a narrower range of "less than 160 horsepower and 3-5 years old"; second, in the context of the strong and more precise price calculations in Japan, if China's used cars want to increase in Russia, it will be difficult to break through based on price alone. It is also necessary to make the chain of parts supply, after-sales accessibility and compliance documents into a "deterministic product."

Source:https://www.e1.ru/text/auto/2026/03/19/76318051/

Source: Guangdong Good Car

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