Auto experts explain the drop in prices for new cars in Russia

In June and early July 2025, the average price of new cars in Russia decreased by 5-10%, which in monetary terms amounts to 150-170 thousand rubles. The last time such a drop in prices was recorded was in 2013. The head of the retail chain's sales department told Izvestia about this on July 9. "Vedro.pro " By Alexander Basmanov.

The main reason for the decline was the overcrowding of dealers' warehouses — against the background of falling demand, they are forced to sell about 500 thousand unsold cars with record discounts. Individual brands, including Lada, Jetour and a number of Chinese manufacturers, offer customers benefits of up to 350-450 thousand rubles, supplementing it with preferential loans. At the same time, the official price lists remain the same, and discounts are issued through promotions and special offers.

Not everyone will survive: every tenth car dealer may leave the market by the end of the year.

Low sales and internal competition reduce profitability

At the same time, the cost of car maintenance continues to rise. Since the beginning of the year, spare parts and consumables have risen in price by 15%, and after the June indexation of price tags, they added another 1.9%. Analysts attribute this to an increase in logistics costs, labeling, and an increase in the cost of imported components, especially European ones. By the end of summer, a further 3-4% price increase is expected.

Against this background, the Autostat agency adjusted its sales forecast for 2025 downward to 1.25 million vehicles, which is 20% less than last year. Experts believe that discount programs will remain at least until the fall, but prices may return to the inflationary trend in the fourth quarter due to an increase in recycling fees and an increase in the cost of components.

Alexey Ivanov, the owner of the ALLIANCE TRUCKS commercial vehicle dealership chain, confirmed the downward trend in prices, noting that this is the first signal of a cooling market after ten years of growth.

"Yes, prices for new cars in Russia have indeed started to show a downward trend for the first time in the last 10 years. However, it is important to understand that we are not talking about a complete market reversal, but about the first signs of cooling prices, especially in the mass segment," he stressed.

According to him, the key factors were increased competition at the expense of Chinese and Russian brands, as well as the active use of subsidy programs. In the short term, prices may continue to decline modestly, especially in the mass segment, but the long-term trend will depend on the ruble exchange rate and government support for the industry.

Earlier it was reported that in June 2025, the average cost of used cars in Russia continued to decline. Budget and premium models have become cheaper compared to last month and June 2024. Prices of most foreign brands decreased most noticeably (-6% over the year).