Toyota, Mazda, BMW and Volkswagen Regain Demand in Russia Despite Official Exit

Despite officially leaving the Russian market, several global automakers are still seeing strong demand in the country. Recent vehicle registration data shows that brands such as Toyota, Mazda, BMW, Volkswagen, and Audi have entered the top 20 car brands in Russia during the first week of March.

This comeback has been driven mainly by parallel imports, which allow vehicles to enter the country through alternative trade channels despite official brand exits.

Toyota Leads Among Departed Brands

Among the automakers that left Russia, Toyota recorded the highest demand. Around 669 new Toyota cars were registered in the past week, placing the brand 7th in the overall market ranking.

Mazda followed closely with 593 vehicles sold, showing that Japanese brands continue to remain popular among Russian buyers.

German Automakers Also in Top 20

Several German manufacturers also secured positions in the top 20 car sales ranking in Russia:

• BMW – 13th place, 340 vehicles registered

• Volkswagen – 16th place, 332 vehicles registered

• Audi – 19th place, 255 vehicles registered

These figures highlight that European brands continue to attract Russian buyers, even after suspending official operations in the country.

Market Share of Global Brands Increasing

According to market analysts, the combined market share of global automakers in Russia has risen significantly. At the beginning of March, international brands accounted for 15.8% of the Russian automobile market.

This marks a notable increase compared with the same period last year, when their share was less than 6%.

Demand Shift in the Russian Auto Market

Experts say this shift reflects changing consumer demand and the growing role of parallel imports. Russian buyers are still actively purchasing well-known Japanese and European cars, even though official dealerships are no longer operating in the country.