Car Sales Climb 7% in Russia

Demand for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles grew 7% to 129,500 units in April, reports the Moscow-based Assn. of European Businesses.

The increase follows a 9% jump in March—the market’s first monthly year-on-year gain since February 2013. Still, AEC notes that April’s volume was below the previous month and warns that the “cautious recovery” remains fragile.

Russia’s top four brands all posted hefty gains last month. Deliveries rose for Lada (+7% to 26,300 units), Kia (+32% to 16,000), Hyundai (+12% to 13,700) and Renault (+19% to11,600).

Cumulative sales through the first four months of 2017 totaled 461,900 units, up 3% from the same period last year.