Last month, 247 purchase and sale transactions were concluded on the domestic market. The segment of used vehicle imports increased by 85 units, and 98 new buses were registered (of which the lionʼs share — 84 units — were of Ukrainian production, and only 14 came through direct import). In terms of dynamics, the market sank as expected by December: domestic resales fell by 24%, used vehicle imports — by 25.4%, and new imported vehicles became 44% fewer. However, in annual terms (YY), the domestic market grew by 10.3%, and used vehicle imports showed a solid plus of 37.1%.
Domestic market: Sprinter and "iron" classics
The domestic market is dominated by the small class. The undisputed leader is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which meets the need for suburban and intercity transportation. It is followed by the "route kings" of the last decade — BAZ A079 Etalon and Bogdan/Ataman A-092.
Interestingly, the Top 10 is already actively entrenched in large European cars that previously came to Ukraine as used imports and are now changing owners within the country: these are the Dutch VDL Ambassador and the Belgian Van Hool Astron. Also on the list are veterans Volkswagen LT and Crafter, the local Ruta 25, a rare Dodge Sprinter (the American version of Mercedes) for our latitudes, and the good old PAZ 3205.
Importing used: The “Long Tail” of Variety
The segment of used bus imports in January resembled an exhibition of the achievements of the European automotive industry. In addition to the traditional leader Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ukrainian carriers imported a whole palette of VDL models ( Ambassador, Citea, Futura ), as well as MAN Lions City, Volvo 8900 and double-decker Van Hool Astromega liners.
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The main feature of the month is the incredible fragmentation: in addition to the leaders, 23 different bus models arrived in Ukraine in the amount of 1 unit each. This indicates that small and medium-sized carriers are looking for very specific vehicles for specific routes or orders, not focusing on mass production.
New buses: Domestic support and luxury exceptions
The market for new buses is dominated by Ukrainian production. The leader is the ZAZ A08 I-VAN, which actively competes with various versions of the Bogdan/Ataman ( A-221, A-093, A-092 ) and the BAZ A081 Etalon.
However, even in this "working" segment there is a place for premium: the registration of 3 new Setra S 500 coaches shows that large travel companies continue to invest in flagship equipment for international lines. Also on the list are Ford Transit, Turkish Temsa Prestij, Chinese JAC Sunray and equipment from STM.
Expertʼs comment
Ostap Novitsky, co-founder of the Institute for Car Market Research:
"January buses are a story about survival and individualism. We see how Ukrainian factories (ZAZ, Ataman, BAZ) continue to be the main source of fleet renewal, despite difficult conditions. But the most interesting thing is the "long tail" in the import of used cars. 24 models of one copy each! This means that carriers are raking out from Europe all the best and most suitable for their narrow tasks. I would like to separately note the appearance of the VDL Futura (second generation) and large Van Hool liners — this is a sign that the international transportation sector, despite all the difficulties, is trying to keep its brand. And the appearance of the Dodge Sprinter in the statistics next to PAZ is the same Ukrainian eclecticism that we love to explore so much."
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