According to russia news today reports, life in Russia has been affected by a dramatic drop in legal car imports. In June 2025, only 25,800 new passenger cars were imported into the country. This marks a 63% decline compared to June 2024, when 69,400 units arrived.
Chinese automakers scale back shipments
Chinese car brands, which had previously increased their presence, drastically reduced deliveries. Imports of Jetour, Jaecoo and Omoda fell by over 99%. Chery shipments dropped by 97%, and Exeed saw an 83% decrease. Even Changan and Geely, still among the top importers, recorded over a 33% decline in volume. In total, imports of Chinese brands dropped by 73% last month.
Gray-market imports see growth
As legal imports fell, gray-market deliveries of cars from Europe, Japan and South Korea increased. Toyota led this segment with 1,900 units delivered, up 126% from last year. BMW followed with 1,000 units, a rise of 118%, while KIA imports increased by 47%, totaling 800 units.
Alternative imports still a small share
Despite fast growth, overall numbers remain small. In June, parallel imports accounted for 36% of the market. For the first half of 2025, that share was about 30%. Fewer than 150,000 new cars were imported in total between January and June. That is a 63.5% drop compared to the same period last year.
Sales decline hits dealerships hard
Life in Russia’s auto sector is becoming more strained. Only 90,100 new cars were sold in June, slightly below May’s figure of 91,200. Auto dealers continue to struggle. Many operate at a loss due to declining shipments, reduced consumer demand and rising competition from gray imports.
