Small commercial vehicles, or LCVs for short, are the most affordable and popular category of trucks weighing up to 3.5 tons of gross weight. Simply put, these are "pies", "beads" and other types of small trucks used by small and medium-sized businesses. Experts of the Institute of Car Market Research analyzed the statistics registrations of vehicles in Ukraine and identified the TOP models in three segments: import of used cars, domestic resale and purchase of new cars.
LCV market dynamics
From the beginning of the year to June inclusive, Ukrainians purchased 20,900 light commercial vehicles with a gross weight of up to 3.5 tons. This is 34.7% less than in the same period last year. That is, the LCV market in Ukraine decreased by a third.
The majority of small commercial cars in the first half of 2022 were purchased on the domestic market: 11.9 thousand (56.8%). Another 7,300 used LCVs were imported from abroad, while the share increased from 25.4% to 34.9% compared to last year.
1,100 light trucks were purchased new, which is 5.4% of the total number of sales transactions. The decline in sales in this market segment is the largest: -57.8%, if compared with the first half of 2021.
Production of Ukrainian enterprises, which in small batches carry out conversion of new imported LCVs for special needs, amounted to 2.8%. Since the beginning of the year, for the first time, only 596 units of small commercial equipment, which received the "Made in Ukraine" marking, were registered.
After a general slump following the outbreak of full-scale war, the LCV market is gradually recovering month by month. Thus, in May, Ukrainians purchased 4,000 units of small commercial equipment, which was twice as much as in April. And in June, the market reached the maximum of the military year 2022 and even exceeded the indicators of June-2021: 4.8 thousand sold LCVs compared to 4.7 thousand, respectively.
It is noticeable that the record figures were achieved thanks to the increase in the number and share of used car imports in the structure of sales. So, in June, 44.5% of the total number of light trucks sold were imported used from abroad, which is also a record figure. In addition to the great need for this type of transport, the so-called zero customs clearance contributed to such activity.
The most popular LCVs in the domestic market
In the first half of the year, among the offers on the Ukrainian domestic market, Ukrainians most often chose used Mercedes-Benz (18.7% of the total), Renault (17.1%) and Volkswagen (15.5%).
The fourth place is still occupied by the Russian brand GAZ, but its share fell from 12% in the first half of 2021 to 8.4% in 2022. Ford closes the top five with a share of 8.3%.
If we consider the list of the ten most popular models of small commercial vehicles with mileage on the domestic market, the bestseller, like last year, was the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (1.5 thousand units).
Renault Master rose from fourth to second place in the rating (879 units), and Ford Transit (834 units) took third place. A pleasant change was the decrease in the number of Russian Gazelles sold: two and a half times less in quantity (834 units), and fourth place instead of second a year ago. The fifth place was taken by the popular Volkswagen Transporter (688 units).
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — 1,495 units.
- Renault Master — 879 pcs.
- Ford Transit — 834 pcs.
- GAZ 3302 "Gazelle" — 801 pcs.
- Volkswagen Transporter — 688 pcs.
- Renault Kangoo — 679 pcs.
- Renault Traffic — 449 pcs.
- Volkswagen Caddy — 427 pcs.
- Mercedes-Benz Vito — 407 pcs.
- Fiat Doblo — 358 pcs.
The most popular used LCVs imported from abroad
In the first half of 2022, Renault (34.2%), Mercedes-Benz (20.6%) and Volkswagen (13.7%) were the most frequently imported LCVs from abroad. Opel (8.4%), Ford (6.6%) and Fiat (4.1%) also made the top five.
The list of the most popular used LCVs from abroad in the first half of 2022 is not much different from the list of the same period in 2021. Renault Master remains the leader (1.6 thousand units), Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is in second place (1.2 thousand units), and Volkswagen Crafter (515 units) took the third place. Renault Kangoo (469 units) and Renault Traffic (463 units) were also in the first five popular imported LCVs with mileage.
- Renault Master — 1,598 units.
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — 1,243 units.
- Volkswagen Crafter — 515 pcs.
- Renault Kangoo — 469 pcs.
- Renault Traffic — 463 pcs.
- Ford Transit — 312 pcs.
- Volkswagen Transporter — 302 pcs.
- Opel Vivaro — 290 pcs.
- Opel Movano — 277 pcs.
- Mercedes-Benz Vito — 209 pcs.
The most popular new LCVs
Although the number of new LCVs registered during January-June 2022 is much smaller than the sales of used cars, it is also possible to form a ranking by popularity in this market segment.
Renault remained the sales leader, as last year, with a share of 34.1% of the total number of sales transactions. Fiat (18.7%) was in second place, and Peugeot (8.1%) was not in third place. The TOP-5 brands of new LCVs are closed by Citroen (6.2%) and Ford (5.4%).
As for models, the most Ukrainians bought compact minivan Renault Express (191 units), Renault Master (95 units) and Fiat Doblo (90 units). They were followed by Peugeot Partner (54 units) and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (36 units).
- Renault Express — 191 pcs.
- Renault Master — 95 pcs.
- Fiat Doblo — 90 pcs.
- Peugeot Partner — 54 pcs.
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — 36 pcs.
- Opel Combo — 33 pcs.
- Fiat Ducato — 28 pcs.
- Toyota Proace — 27 pcs.
- Ford Transit — 27 pcs.
- Citroën Berlingo — 27 pcs.
Subscribe to the Telegram channel of the Auto Market Research Institute to be the first to receive information without ads and spam.
