In 2022, some foreign car manufacturers curtailed their activities in Russia. Many companies left the market, transferring factories to Russian structures with the right of subsequent reverse repurchase. However, by now the terms of these options for a number of brands have come to an end. Not all car companies decided to take the opportunity to return their assets.
Hyundai
Korean Hyundai has completely lost control of its plant in St. Petersburg. The company did not exercise the right of reverse repurchase stipulated by the terms of the transaction, and the option expired in January 2026.
At the same time, there is no talk of Hyundai's complete withdrawal from the Russian market. The automaker has confirmed its readiness to fulfill warranty obligations and service already sold cars. At the former Hyundai plant, which now belongs to the Russian holding AGR, the production of cars previously known under the Hyundai and Kia brands continues. However, now they roll off the assembly line under the new Solaris brand.
Mazda
Mazda owned half of the shares of the car plant in Vladivostok, where cars of the Japanese brand were produced, including one of the most popular crossovers — CX-5. In October 2022, the company sold its stake to its Russian partner Sollers for a symbolic €1, retaining the right of reverse repurchase.
The option expired in the fall of 2025, however, according to Sollers, no proposals from the Japanese side were received during this time. Despite this, Mazda has not announced a complete cessation of its presence in Russia. Moreover, starting in the spring of last year, official deliveries of CX-5 and CX-50 crossovers to the Russian market were resumed. The sale of these cars is carried out through a partner company and is accompanied by an official guarantee.
Nissan
The Nissan automobile plant in St. Petersburg has been operating since 2009, but in 2022 it was transferred to the ownership of FSUE "NAMI", which is controlled by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The deal was formalized for a symbolic amount of €1, and Nissan estimated its own losses from leaving the Russian market at $687 million.
Already in 2023, the enterprise was resold to AvtoVAZ for the same amount. However, in February 2024, the plant was again transferred to state ownership. Currently, the production of Lada Iskra cars is organized at this site.
Toyota
Toyota launched its car plant in St. Petersburg at the end of 2007. In the spring of 2023, the assets of the enterprise were transferred to FSUE "NAMI". Unlike a number of other transactions, the agreement with the Japanese concern did not provide for the possibility of reverse repurchase.
To date, car production at this site has not resumed. At the same time, representatives of the authorities say that the assembly will be launched in the near future. It is expected that cars of the Russian luxury brand Aurus will roll off the assembly line of the St. Petersburg plant.
Volkswagen
In 2023, Volkswagen also finally withdrew from the owners of Russian production assets, without retaining the rights to their reverse repurchase. The buyer was the AGR holding, which, in particular, got the plant in Kaluga. This enterprise has been operating since the fall of 2007 and produced cars of the Volkswagen AG group.
After the change of ownership, the production of crossovers of the new Russian brand Tenet was established at the Kaluga site. In fact, we are talking about rebranded models of the Chinese company Chery, adapted to the new brand.
Mitsubishi
The production of Mitsubishi cars at the PSMA Rus plant in Kaluga was stopped in 2022. To terminate the contract, the Japanese company had to pay compensation in the amount of almost 3 billion rubles.
Currently, the enterprise is used for the production of other models. French Citroën C5 Aircross crossovers are assembled here from components imported under the parallel import scheme. In addition, the plant has launched the full-cycle production of Chinese Haval M6 crossovers.
Who else retains the option
At the same time, there are foreign car manufacturers in Russia that still have the right to repurchase their enterprises. These include Mercedes-Benz, which owns a plant in Esipovo near Moscow, as well as Renault with a production site in Moscow. The terms of the options for these companies expire in 2028 and 2029, respectively.
Read also materials:
- What the USSR and FIAT negotiations on the overhead valve engine hid
- Cars of the Moscow Olympics: from Volga to Mercedes
- Who and when has the right to open someone else's car by law
