Patience Required: Imported Car Delivery Times Lengthen for Russian Buyers

Russian consumers should brace for longer waits when ordering vehicles from abroad, but experts say the delays are a temporary hiccup rather than a systemic crisis. Anton Gureyev, commercial director at the Interleasing group, told Rossiyskaya Gazeta that the bottleneck isn't at border crossings.

Instead, all major transport corridors used for car imports are currently overloaded.

The situation is worsened by a surge in demand for used cars, up more than 15 percent, which piles extra pressure on already strained logistics chains. Gureyev noted that new car shipments from China and Kyrgyzstan jumped 25 percent in the first half of the year. “This shows parallel import channels are working effectively,” he said.

“In the short term, dealers face a choice: pass higher costs to customers, driving prices up further, or accept slimmer margins.

Yuri Chistov, director of dealer network development at Fresh, added that transport costs aren't the main factor in a new car's final price. He pointed out that showrooms still have plenty of vehicles imported in 2024 and 2025, and urged shoppers not to panic. “Just broaden the list of models you're considering,” he advised.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen Group has reportedly drawn up a preliminary list of models, spanning Volkswagen, Skoda, Cupra. Audi, and Porsche, that could be cut as part of a major cost-saving drive, though no official confirmation has been given.