Chinese automakers are dumping in Russia not to displace Lada, but because of fierce competition among themselves. This opinion was expressed by auto expert Vadim Gagarin against the backdrop of AvtoVAZ head Maxim Sokolov's statement about "unthinkable" discounts from manufacturers from China up to 1 million rubles.
According to him, the key struggle is unfolding within the Chinese segment itself, where manufacturers compete for the attention of buyers and market share.
It cannot be said that Chinese brands are specifically dumping in order to displace Lada. They are at war with each other, and large discounts are most often an attempt to get rid of illiquid assets or last year's cars.
Gagarin clarified that the competition of Chinese manufacturers affects the position of individual AvtoVAZ models, primarily Vesta. In expensive trim levels, approaching 2 million rubles, some buyers choose Chinese crossovers with more attractive dynamics. This explains the decrease in demand.
At the same time, mass models of the domestic brand retain strong positions. For example, Granta remains the sales leader, and Lada Niva is consistently sold by dealers. The Chinese will not be able to displace these cars - they simply have no analogues, Gagarin concluded.