Russia’s used-car market grows 3.5% to about 3.2 million vehicles in H1 2026

Secondary-market sales reach 3.2 million vehicles

Russia’s used-car market expanded in the first half of 2026 as consumers purchased about 3.2 million secondhand vehicles, according to data presented by Alexey Podshchekoldin, head of the Russian Automobile Dealers Association, or ROAD. The total was 3.5% higher than in the same six months of 2025.

The monthly figures show that growth was concentrated after a weak start to the year. Sales declined by 5% in January, but the market recorded positive year-on-year growth from February through June. June was the strongest month of the period, with 568,000 vehicles changing hands, compared with 523,000 in June 2025. That represented an increase of 9%, according to Pravda.ru and KP.RU.

Lada keeps a wide lead over foreign brands

The ranking of the largest brands remained broadly stable. Lada led the market with 706,700 used vehicles sold, equivalent to more than one in every five transactions based on the reported overall total. Toyota ranked second, followed by Kia, Hyundai and Volkswagen. The top five therefore continued to be dominated by brands with large, established vehicle fleets in Russia.

The figures underline the importance of fleet size and vehicle age in the secondary market. Brands that have sold cars in Russia for many years generate a broad supply of vehicles across different price categories, model years and regions. This gives established Russian, Japanese, South Korean and German marques an advantage that newer entrants cannot reproduce immediately, even when their new-car sales rise quickly.

Chery advances as the Chinese vehicle fleet matures

Chinese manufacturers are beginning to gain ground as more of their vehicles enter resale cycles. Chery showed the clearest movement, rising to 20th place from 28th a year earlier. Podshchekoldin said the brand’s relatively long presence in Russia had created enough vehicles in circulation to form a noticeable supply in the used-car segment. He forecast that Chery could enter the market’s top 10 within five years if the current trend continues.

Automotive expert Igor Morzharetto described the increasing share of Chinese brands as a natural consequence of fleet accumulation. Their longer-term position, however, will depend partly on the resale liquidity of the first mass-market batches of electric vehicles and hybrids when they return to the market in several years. Used-car buyers and dealers will be assessing battery condition, maintenance costs, parts availability and residual values alongside conventional measures such as mileage and age.

Growth creates opportunities but preserves established advantages

A 3.5% increase indicates that demand remained resilient despite the January contraction. For dealers, the June acceleration supports inventory turnover and related businesses such as financing, servicing and spare parts. The 45,000-vehicle year-on-year increase in June also suggests that market activity strengthened toward the end of the half year rather than relying on an early surge.

For Chinese manufacturers, expansion in the used segment is an important test of customer confidence beyond the first sale. Chery’s eight-place advance shows that supply is building, but the gap with Lada and the other established leaders remains substantial. Future rankings will depend not only on new-car deliveries, but also on how quickly vehicles re-enter the market and whether buyers accept their resale prices, repair costs and technical condition.