The growth in the number of Chinese brand car dealerships in Russia has slowed down. According to a study by Gazprombank Autoleasing and AutoBusinessReview, in the first nine months of 2024, the share of Chinese brand showrooms remained at 65% of the total, similar to the figures at the end of 2023.
Despite the opening of 947 new car dealerships, only 72% of these were for Chinese brands, compared to 90% last year. In addition, the number of closed Chinese brand showrooms in January-September 2024 reached 269, exceeding the figures for the entire 2023.
Among the leaders in terms of the number of new locations was the Belarusian brand Belgee with 128 car dealerships, followed by the Russian Solaris (70) and the Chinese Haval (60). Among Chinese brands, Chery remains the leader in terms of the number of operating dealerships, increasing its network by 2.9% to 213 locations. Changan expanded its presence by 22.4% to 197 dealerships, and Geely showed a growth of 15.3% to 196 locations. However, some brands, such as FAW, JAC, and Exeed, reduced their networks by 7.5–8.3% due to supply problems, stricter distributor requirements, and low demand.
Experts note a trend of dealers abandoning some Chinese franchises. In the Moscow and St. Petersburg regions, dealers have already begun to voluntarily withdraw from partnerships with even major Chinese brands, which was previously rare. This is due to market saturation and reduced profitability. The slowdown in demand for new cars and the overheating of the market, especially in Moscow and the Moscow region, are forcing participants to change strategies. By the end of the year, the network of dealerships may grow to 4.2–4.3 thousand, but a reduction is expected in the future. Fewer and fewer players are willing to invest in franchises that do not provide significant income.
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