While in a hypothetical Voronezh or Novosibirsk, a neighbor is parking a brand-new Granta, in Moscow, the Lada is almost an exotic car. In the first nine months of 2026, 125,000 new cars were purchased in the capital (+13% compared to last year), and figures from «Avtostat» reveal a stark divide between the area inside the Moscow Ring Road and the rest of Russia. The domestic automotive industry accounts for a meager 5% of sales in Moscow. Meanwhile, a quarter of the market in the regions is devoted to Ladas and UAZs.

Nearly half of the Moscow market—46.2%—is held by Chinese brands. The top brands in the capital are Haval (10%), Tenet (9.2%), and Geely (8.8%). By the way, Tenet, for those who don’t know, is a former VW plant near Kaluga that essentially operates with Chery models. The share of global brands in Moscow is twice as high as the national average—26.2%. BMW and Mercedes-Benz are firmly established in Moscow’s top ten. Meanwhile, spotting a new Bavarian car in the regions is a rare sight.

In the premium segment, Germans and Chinese dominate. Poverty is not a Moscow issue. In September alone, 1,825 units of the new Russian-Chinese premium brand Esteo were sold across the country, and it has suddenly become the queen of the premium market in Russia, overtaking Tank and BMW. New brands in this segment are already scheduled for presentation this year. The bottom line: Moscow is living in 2030. People buy Havals in bulk, park BMWs in courtyards, and generally don’t even look at Lada. Meanwhile, in the regions, people are still debating whether to take out a loan for a Vesta or save up for a five-year Solaris.

In the premium segment, Germans and Chinese dominate. Poverty is not a Moscow issue. In September alone, 1,825 units of the new premium Russian-Chinese brand Esteo were sold across the country, and it has suddenly become the queen of the premium market in Russia, surpassing Tank and BMW. New brands from this segment will be unveiled this year. The stark contrast: Moscow is living in 2030. People there buy Haval in bulk, park BMWs in courtyards, and generally don’t look toward Lada. Meanwhile, in the regions, people are still debating whether to take out a loan for a «Vesta» or save up for a five-year Solaris.