A year earlier, the same indicator was half a year less, amounting to 15 years. How significant is this figure? And what does the situation look like in other states?
Contrary to the established stereotype about the frequent change of cars in the United States (approximately every five years), the actual average age of the American car fleet is 12.6 years. The European Union countries show a similar picture - 12.3 years. Among European states, the “youngest” car fleet is characterized by Luxembourg (7.9 years), Austria and Denmark (8.9 years), Ireland (9.1 years) and Belgium (9.8 years), according to the publication “Southern Car”.
Consequently, 15.5 years - the average age of a car in Russia - does indeed exceed that of the US and Europe, but the difference is not critical. In some African countries, the average age of vehicles exceeds the 20-year mark.
Of concern for Russia is the steady increase in the average age of vehicles. Starting at 12.4 years in 2015 and rising to 13.6 years in 2020, this figure is likely to reach 16 years by 2025 if current trends continue. This indicates a decrease in the frequency of new car purchases by Russians, who tend to repair and use older models. The country's car fleet is rapidly becoming obsolete, and maintaining used cars is becoming increasingly expensive.
Automobile columnist Anton Shaparin emphasizes the relevance of this problem. An example is the leadership in the secondary market of VAZ 2107, the production of which ended in 2012. Specialists explain this by the consequences of the pandemic and the withdrawal of Western automobile companies from the Russian market. A significant increase in prices for new cars led to a drop in demand and further aging of the car fleet.
Despite the increased costs of maintaining old cars, many Russians cannot afford to buy a new one due to high prices. This creates a vicious circle: new cars are unaffordable, and old cars require continuous repairs, with the cost of spare parts and maintenance also increasing.
Earlier it was reported about a sharp decline in imports of foreign cars to Russia. Experts also named the reason for the decline in car sales in Russia.