Hyundai Motor’s former Russian production model, the Solaris, made a surprising entry into the top 10 of the Russian auto market last month. Industry experts interpret this as a sign that Hyundai could quickly reestablish its presence in Russia if it decides to return.
According to the Association of European Businesses (AEB), Russia’s federal statistics agency, 1,555 units of the Solaris were sold in Russia in March—a staggering year-on-year growth of 793.7%.
Notably, Solaris entered the top 10 for the first time, surpassing the Chinese brand Xingtu. This achievement stands out, as overall vehicle demand in Russia fell by 45.5% year-on-year to 79,822 units in March. Solaris was one of the few models to record significant growth amid this downturn.
The Solaris is currently produced and sold by Art Finance, a subsidiary of AGR Automotive Group, which acquired Hyundai’s Saint Petersburg plant in December 2023. At the time, Hyundai sold the plant for just 10,000 rubles (approximately 110 USD) under a buyback agreement, allowing it to repurchase the facility within two years.
Art Finance also acquired the rights to the Solaris trademark from Hyundai and is now producing and selling four Solaris models (HS, HCR, KRS, and KRX) at the former Hyundai plant in Saint Petersburg.
In brand sales rankings, local brand Lada led the market with 25,145 units sold (a 31.5% market share). Chinese brands Haval and Chery followed, selling 9,790 units (12.3%) and 8,409 units (10.5%) respectively. The rest of the top 10 included: Geely: 5,134 units (6.4%), Changan: 3,787 units (4.7%), Belgee: 2,428 units (3.0%), Omoda: 2,146 units (2.7%), Jetour: 1,928 units (2.4%), Zeekr: 1,628 units (2.0%)
The Solaris’ re-entry into the top 10 is seen as a key indicator for Hyundai in evaluating both the feasibility and timing of a return to the Russian market. If the company decides to reenter, its existing production and distribution infrastructure could ease the process of reintegration.
An industry source said, “The strong performance of Solaris proves that trust in Hyundai remains firm among Russian consumers,” and added, “If the geopolitical situation improves—for instance, if the Russia-Ukraine conflict comes to an end—Hyundai’s return to the local market would be just a matter of time.”
