Russia’s Light-Vehicle Sales Drop 5%

Deliveries of cars and light commercial vehicles in Russia declined 5% to a paltry 77,900 units last month, says the Moscow-based Assn. of European Businesses. January sales in 2013 topped 162,000 vehicles.

But the group detected stronger sales in the last two weeks of the month, hinting that the market’s four-year decline may finally be ending.

Four of the market’s six top sellers reported year-on-year gains in January: Lada (+5% to 16,300 units), Kia (+14% to 10,300), Renault (+4% to 5,200) and Volkswagen (+3% to 4,600). Sales slid at Hyundai (-16% to 6,700 vehicles and Nissan (-6% to 4,200).