The truck market is reviving, but needs an update: TOP new and used models

Trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons are a small but important part of the Ukrainian car market. The increase in sales of these cars means an increase in economic activity and the reconstruction of the country. Experts of the Institute of Car Market Research analyzed the statistics of vehicle registrations in Ukraine and identified the TOP models in three segments of trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons (except semi-trailer trucks): import of used, domestic resale and purchase of new cars, including those converted in Ukraine.

Truck market dynamics

From January to June 2022, inclusive, Ukrainians purchased 9,300 trucks with a gross weight of more than 3.5 tons (excluding tractors). This is 41.9% less than in the same period last year. However, Juneʼs figures — 2,200 sales contracts — almost caught up with sales in the same month of 2021: only a hundred cars were missing. Activity on the market increased as a result of the increased need for such cars in war conditions, as well as the operation of the so-called zero customs clearance, because 50.4% of trucks in May and 38.2% in June were brought in used from abroad.

Interestingly, the import of used trucks was the only segment in the first half of 2022 that showed growth : by +38.9%. Instead, domestic resales decreased by −50.6%, and sales of new imported trucks decreased by −68.7%.

The majority of trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons in Ukraine are bought used, the share of new ones in the first half of 2022 was only 8.9% of the total number of sales transactions. At the same time, among the trucks without mileage there was a majority of those that were converted by Ukrainian enterprises for special needs from imported cars or chassis ( 465 units ). 360 imported new cargo vehicles were registered during January-June 2022.

Importantly, the average age of used trucks on the secondary market decreased slightly, from 20.6 years in the first half of 2021 to 19.5 years during January-June 2022. First of all, thanks to the import of younger used cars from abroad: the average age of imported trucks with mileage was 10 years ; on the other hand , within the country, this indicator is more than twice as large — 23.2 years. Thus, the cargo segment of the Ukrainian car market is the oldest among all, in need of renewal and legislative reforms.

The most popular trucks in the domestic market

The majority of trucks on the domestic market were purchased by individuals ( 82.5% of the total), the remaining 17.5% by companies.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles were most often chosen (17.2%). In second place is the legacy of the past era — the Soviet-Russian KamAZ (13.7%). The third place is for MAN trucks (11.5%).

But the fourth and fifth places were again occupied by echoes of the past — ZIL (8.7%) and GAZ (8.2%) vehicles. Cars of these brands were once chosen because of their lower cost for cheaper maintenance, but in the future the picture will change in favor of used trucks from abroad, which will gradually replace unreliable and sometimes dangerous products of the Russian automobile industry.

The list of the most popular models on the market best shows the difficult situation in the Ukrainian market of trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons: 6 out of 10 places in the ranking are occupied by Russian-Soviet cars, and the leader was Mercedes-Benz T1/T2 (375 pcs. ). These cars have not been produced since the mid-90s, but they are still actively used on Ukrainian roads.

1. Mercedes-Benz T1/T2 — 375 units.
2. KamAZ 5320 — 308 pcs.
3. Mercedes-Benz Atego — 265 units.
4. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — 240 pcs.
5. ZIL 130 — 217 pcs.
6. KamAZ 5511 — 204 pcs.
7. GAZ 3307 — 164 pcs.
8. ZIL 131 — 162 pcs.
9. MAN L2000 — 154 pcs.
10. GAZ 3507 — 149 pcs.

The most popular used trucks brought from abroad

In the first half of 2022, used MAN trucks were most often imported from abroad (27%). In second place in terms of popularity is Mercedes-Benz (26.3%), and in third place is DAF (10.4%).

Iveco (9.3%) and Renault (7.6%) were also popular.

By the way, 84.2% of all imported trucks with mileage were brought by individuals.

The list of the most popular models of used trucks from abroad includes popular cars of Western manufacturers. The leader was MAN TGL (270 units), Mercedes-Benz Atego (260 units) and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (163 units) were also actively imported. It is these trucks that could gradually replace old vehicles of Russian and Soviet production. However , the 40 times higher excise duty on cars older than 5 years and the ecological standard "Euro-5" do not give the opportunity to import these cars in large quantities, because it is often economically unprofitable. The law that temporarily lowered the environmental standard to "Euro-3" has so many conditions and restrictions that it did not have any effect in practice.

1. MAN TGL — 270 pcs.
2. Mercedes-Benz Atego — 260 units.
3. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — 163 pcs.
4. Iveco Daily (Turbo/Power) — 129 pcs.
5. MAN TGX — 117 pcs.
6. MAN TGS — 111 pcs.
7. MAN TGM — 110 pcs.
8. Mercedes-Benz Actros — 100 pcs.
9. DAF CF — 91 pcs.
10. DAF XF — 80 pcs.

The most popular new trucks

The number of new trucks purchased in Ukraine during January-June is insignificant compared to the volume of sales of vehicles with mileage. At the same time, almost all new trucks in the first half of the year were purchased by legal entities — state organizations and private companies: 96.6% of the total number (797 units).

The products of Techkomplekt LLC, which is engaged in conversion of imported vehicles and chassis for special needs, were the most purchased. Trucks under the TM brand were purchased in 7.9% of cases (65 units). In second place is MAZ (7.5%, 62 units), or rather, the warehouse remains of previously imported Belarusian cars, the import of which is prohibited today.

The third place was taken by the products of another Ukrainian company that manufactures specialized equipment — the SKS brand (ToV Spets-Com-Service). During January-June, 62 cars converted by the company were registered in Ukraine (7.5% of the total number of new trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons).

Ford (6.9%, 57 pcs.) and VD (6.7%, 55 pcs.) — a brand of specialized trucks of "VIDI Unicommerce" LLC, also entered the rating.

Special vehicles based on the Ford Transit turned out to be the most in demand on the market of new trucks (55 registered cars). Scania P-Series ( 36 pcs.), KamAZ 6511 (25 pcs.), Mercedes-Benz Arocs (22 pcs.) and special vehicles based on Gazelle Next (19 pcs.) were also included in the rating.

It is significant that four of the ten most popular positions are cars originating from Russia and Belarus. The share of these brands has always been significant in the market of new commercial vehicles, but in the future they will be replaced by Chinese and European counterparts.

1. Ford Transit (special) — 55 pcs.
2. Scania P-Series — 36 pcs.
3. KamAZ 6511 — 25 pcs.
4. Mercedes-Benz Arocs — 22 pcs.
5. GAZelle Next (special) — 19 pcs
6. Ford Trucks 4142D — 19 pcs.
7. Iveco Trakker — 19 pcs.
8. MAZ 5550 — 18 pcs.
9. Renault Master — 16 pcs.
10. MAZ 5340 — 15 pcs.

Subscribe to the Telegram channel of the Auto Market Research Institute to be the first to receive information without advertising or spam.