ROMIR Research: Two-thirds of Russians would like to receive more information about Chinese cars

Interest in Chinese car brands is high among Russian motorists, but lack of information remains one of the barriers to purchase.

The study showed that almost half of Russian motorists (47%) are considering purchasing a Chinese car as their next vehicle. 79% of motorists were able to name no more than three brands of Chinese cars. Among the most recognizable brands that motorists were able to name without prompting were Haval (45%), CHERY (45%) and Geely (30%). The most popular models in terms of purchase intent were the HAVAL F7 and CHERY Tiggo series. The most common models in the top were GEELY, while JAC, GAC, CHANGAN and JETOUR did not make it into the TOP in terms of purchase intent. Every tenth of those surveyed (10%) found it difficult to name at least one Chinese brand.

Almost three quarters of motorists (72%) said that they had seen advertisements for Chinese brands at least once in the last month. Moreover, for Russians considering buying a Chinese car, advertising is remembered better (79%) than for those who do not plan to make such a purchase (49%).

Of those who do not plan to buy a Chinese car, 60% planned to buy it earlier, but abandoned this idea. The main reasons for such respondents are mistrust of quality (30%), concerns about the quality of parts (23%) and cost (20%). In addition, every tenth (11%) who refused to buy a Chinese car noted the lack of information about servicing Chinese cars as a key factor in making a decision.

Russian motorists are ready to consider Chinese cars as an alternative to departed brands in the foreseeable future, especially in the context of increasing available information. Almost two thirds (67%) of respondents said that they would like to receive more information about Chinese cars. This applies to both technical specifications and service features. Among those who have seen advertisements for Chinese cars in the last month, 35% are sure that Chinese cars are already a good alternative to the departed car brands.

According to the survey, for 82% of Russians, when choosing a car, its reliability and durability are important, 73% primarily pay attention to the cost of maintenance, 66% give priority when choosing models that are economical to operate. However, the Chinese auto industry is associated with reliability for only 33% of the surveyed Russians, and only 36% of Russians associate the Chinese auto industry with high-quality service.