money on wheels
Against the background of a constant increase in prices on the car market in recent years, a used car can be sold today even more expensive than it was bought a few years ago. This is confirmed by the results of the study “Residual Value – 2023” conducted by the “AUTOSTAT” agency, according to which the residual value of many popular models purchased in 2019 is 25-30% higher than their original price. It should be noted that most of these foreign cars are no longer produced in our country or are not officially supplied to the Russian market.
According to Vladimir Zhelobov, Director of Used Sales at Avtodom Group of Companies and AvtoSpetsCentre Group of Companies, against the background of rising prices, the ratio between sales of new and used cars doubled last year and amounted to 1 to 8, and taking into account the long service life, breakdowns and accidents in our country more than 1 million cars went out of use. These factors, as well as the restrictions on the supply of foreign vehicles, have reinforced the upward trend in residual values.
“Despite the fact that now a three-year-old car can be sold for more than it was bought, it is worth doing it only if there is an additional budget, in addition to the proceeds from the sale, for the purchase of a new car or with mileage, but in a higher class or in a better configuration At the same time, do not forget that the longer the period of ownership of the car and the higher its mileage, the more it will lose value in the secondary market.If you need a car urgently, it is better to buy it now, since in 2023 there are still no prerequisites for lowering prices in the car market, mainly due to the lack of large-scale deliveries”, Denis Migal, CEO of Fresh Car Automotive Market, reports.
For his part, Nikolai Baskakov, director of Avilon.Autos Usados, points out that a car is not an effective investment, since during the period of operation it requires additional expenses for maintenance, repairs, insurance, etc.
practical choice
After comparing the cost of a new car in 2019 and its resale price in 2022, Avtostat analysts calculated residual value ratios for 232 passenger car models on the Russian market.
Thus, in the next rating of the most liquid models among B-class cars, Kia Rio maintained its leadership, the residual value index of which amounted to 128.6%.
Renault Sandero (125.4%) remained in second place in this nomination, and Hyundai Solaris (125.1%) ranked third, displacing the Citroën C3 Aircross from the top three. It is also worth noting that neither Lada Granta nor Vesta, which are unconditionally bestsellers on the Russian car market, were included in the last rating of the most liquid models, although the state employee Granta once led in terms of residual value in his class. .
According to Denis Migal, the demand for Kia Rio and Hyundai Solaris is explained by the shortage of new sedans, as well as their popularity due to low maintenance and service costs. The situation is similar with the high demand for hatchbacks, which include Renault Sandero.
“The listed B-class models, which are in the top three, are in great demand in the market and are distinguished by their reliability, affordability, spaciousness and ease of repair. A large percentage of motorists now prefer budget, but at same practical time models,” says Nikolay Baskakov.
Japanese quality – always at a price
In the C segment, Mazda3 ranked first in terms of retained value with 128%. Thus, it is ahead of the best-selling “classmates” – Kia Cerato (127.3%) and Hyundai Elantra (123.9%). But the ancestor of the Volkswagen Golf class, which became the winner of this nomination last year, this time fell out of the top three, just like the Toyota Corolla.
“The more a new car rose in price when it was available on the market, the more the value of the model increased in the secondary market. Mazda is the leader in price growth. As for the Volkswagen Golf and Toyota Corolla, they fell off the list , since these cars were sold in small lots, and the Golf even in units The popularity of the model affects the residual value, “says Kirill Ivanov, Director of Buyback and Sale of Used Cars at Wagner Auto Group.
Japanese cars are traditionally considered among the most reliable, which is why the Mazda 3 retains a higher residual value than the Kia Cerato and Hyundai Elantra, adds Denis Migal.
Among business class sedans, the Toyota Camry ranks first in terms of residual value preservation, the figure of which was 130.8%. The second result remains in the account of the Mazda6 -130.1%, and Skoda Superb closes the first three-, after three years of operation, this model retains 113.2% of its original price. In addition, the latter was able to displace the shared platform Volkswagen Passat from the top three in this nomination.
“Japanese and German cars have always ranked first in the reliability rating among business sedans and after three or four years of operation they remained in good technical condition. It is thanks to their great popularity that they are now very liquid on the market The same can be said of the Czech model. “Practicality combined with comfort are two of the reasons why the Russians chose the Skoda Superb. In addition, it has a longer wheelbase than the Volkswagen Passat, and the chassis of the Czech model is more effective at smoothing out vibrations. and absorb impacts during high-speed traffic.” , – comments Denis Migal.
pay for bad roads
As for compact crossovers, Suzuki Jimny showed the best result in terms of residual value preservation: 134.2%. The second place was taken for the first time by Chery Tiggo 4 – for three years of operation, this model saves 133.7% of its original price. Close the first three this time Lada Niva Legend with 131.6%. It should be noted that Hyundai Creta and Renault Duster, which a year ago occupied the top positions in this ranking, this time did not enter the Top 3.
According to Kirill Ivanov, the limited supply of Suzuki Jimny against the background of high demand affected the results of its high residual value. Just as the demand for Chery Tiggo 4 caused a strong craze for the price of a new car, which further affected the residual value.
“In general, the Lada Niva Legend has also risen in price quite a bit, which naturally affects the secondary market – the consumer sells his used cars at a higher price. And the Hyundai Creta and Renault Duster have dropped from the leaders , as they have low wear resistance and offer a lot on the market,” says the expert.
In the SUV-C segment, the Toyota RAV4 ranked first in terms of residual value retention with a score of 128%. Hyundai Tucson (127.5%) remains on the second step of the podium, but this time Volkswagen Tiguan (126.8%) won bronze.
It is also worth noting that in the SUV segment, the average residual value retention ratio is generally slightly higher than for passenger models, despite higher wear and tear due to the intensive nature of SUV operation. vehicles.
“The demand for SUVs in Russia is much higher than for passenger cars, since the roads in our country are far from good quality. And in the future, the situation will not change, despite the shortage of sedans and liftbacks in the Russian car. market”, summarizes Nikolai Baskakov.
