Recently, analysts of the automotive market in Russia have noted the growing popularity of SUVs. According to the company "Autostat" for the first half of 2012, sales of this type of car increased from 24.8 to 29.2%. During this time alone, more than 390 thousand crossovers were sold in car dealerships.
The passion of Russian motorists for SUVs is understandable - the quality of roads in the country still leaves much to be desired. In addition, many Russians living in small towns and rural areas prefer an active lifestyle and use cars for trips to nature, hunting, fishing or just to the country. For such trips, an SUV is indispensable.
According to Avtostat experts, the most popular vehicle for the Russian off-road is the Chevrolet Niva, despite the fact that in 2011 its prices have increased significantly. Now they range from 434 to 510 thousand rubles, depending on the configuration. Next to the Chevrolet Niva is Renault Duster, a compact and light SUV, quite suitable for Russian conditions, which manufacturers equip, among other things, with gas-petrol engines, while maintaining the warranty.
The total share of sales of cars for compact SUVs (SUV BC) is 19% of the market, the share of midsize crossovers (SUV D) - 5.8%, full-size (SUV E) - 4.9%. Moreover, a revolution took place in the mid-size class - last year's sales leader Mitsubishi Outlander gave way to the "Chinese" Great Wall Hover. Among the full-size cars of this type, the first place is still firmly held by the Toyota Land Cruiser.
Among those who prefer SUVs, cars such as the Lada 4x4, Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Juke and VW Tiguan are also popular.
It should be noted that in recent years Russia has been firmly leading in the number of premium SUVs purchased, which include the Infiniti FX, VW Touareg, Land Cruiser 200, Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes GL and BMW X5. But the purchase of such a car is rather a matter of prestige - with all its "bells and whistles" such large clumsy cars in the city do not provide either the design speed or maneuverability.
