Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Every fifth Russians would like to buy a car, basically – a foreign car. Getting a car loan is the most popular way to pay for the car.  

MOSCOW, May 11, 2012. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing how many Russians have a car; how many Russians would like to have a car, as well as what kind of car and how they are going to pay for that?

Year by year the number of car owners in Russia is increasing: by 2012 the share of such respondents has made up 47% (in 2006 - 36%), including 43% of those who have a car in the family and 4% of those who have more than one car.  52% of respondents do not have a car. Those who have one car in the family often live in middle cities (48%); those who have several cars tend to reside in the capitals (8%).

The majority of Russians owns used cars produced in Russia; however the share of such respondents is decreasing (from 50% in 2010 to 41% this year). They are followed by those who have used cars produced abroad; this share is increasing (from 24 to 31%).  The share of those who drive new Russian cars (15%) is equaled to the share of those using new foreign cars (16%). Those who own domestic cars often reside in small cities and rural area (19-20% - new cars, 44-56% - used cars). New foreign cars are often used by Muscovites and St.Petersburgians (34%), used cars are equally used by metropolitan residents (42%), and Russians living in small cities (41%).

Nineteen percent of Russians are planning to buy a car (15% a year ago); most of them are going to do that in the next two or three years (11%), other 5% - during a year, 2% - during half a year, 1% - during the month. The majority of those who would like to buy a car opt for a foreign car (67%): 35% - a new one, 32% - a used one (in 2010 – 29 and 24%, respectively). Domestic cars are appreciated by 26% of Russians: new car – 14% (in 2010– 19%), used car – 9%.

As before, getting a car loan is the most popular way to purchase a car (46%, a year ago – 37%). The share of those who would like to make a payment in cash is still high (37%). The proportion of those who would borrow money from friends and relatives to buy a car has decreased (8% versus 12% a year ago).

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted April 14-15, 2012. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

Do you have a car in your family? (close-ended question, one answer)

 

2006

2009

March  2010

September  2010

March  2011

April  2012

Yes, I have one car

34

37

37

38

39

43

Yes, I have more than one car

3

2

5

5

4

4

No  

63

60

57

56

57

52

Hard to tell

0

1

1

1

0

1


Which car does your family have? (close-ended, any number of answers, % of those who have a car)

 

2006

2009

2010

2011

2012

New domestic car  

16

14

14

13

15

Used domestic car  

59

49

50

46

41

New foreign car (produced in 2006 or later)

8

14

17

14

16

Used  foreign car (produced before 2006)

19

27

24

30

31

Hard to tell

2

0

1

1

1


Are you or your family planning to purchase a car? (close-ended question, one answer)

 

2006

2009

March  2010

September  2010

March  2011

April  2012

Yes, during the month  

1

0

1

1

0

1

Yes, during half a year  

1

1

2

2

2

2

Yes, during a year  

4

2

3

4

3

5

Yes, in the next two or three years

7

8

9

11

10

11

No

81

85

83

76

80

79

Hard to tell

5

4

3

6

5

2


                                                  

Which car would you like to buy?

 (close-ended question, one answer,  % of those who are planning to buy a car)

 

August  2006

February  2009

July  2009

March  2010

March  2011

April  2012

New foreign car (produced in 2006 or later)

19

24

28

29

32

35

Used  foreign car (produced before 2006)

20

25

23

24

30

32

New domestic car  (produced in 2006 or later)

35

12

22

19

15

14

Used domestic car  (produced before 2006)

19

10

11

10

9

12

Hard to tell

7

29

15

18

14

7


How would you like to purchase a car?

 (close-ended question, one answer, % of those who are planning to buy a car)

 

2009

2010

2011

2012

Prompt cash payment

27

29

35

37

Car loan  

30

37

38

46

Money borrowed from friends and relatives

6

11

12

8

Hard to tell

37

24

15

9

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

Read the article in Russian
Topics:
Car market