Russian People’s Car?
The Hyundai Solaris compact passenger vehicle, marketed as the Accent elsewhere, became the best-selling car among all vehicles sold in Russia in the first half of the year. It is the first time for Hyundai Motor Co. to rank first in terms of sales as of a half-yearly settlement, beating Russian automakers.
According to the Association of European Businesses (AEB) and Hyundai Motor on July 13, the Solaris had accumulated sales of 45,930 units in Russia during the January-June period this year, becoming the best-selling car in the market. Until now, Hyundai cars had ranked on the top spot in terms of monthly sales at times in the Russian market. However, it is the first time to become the best-selling model as of a half yearly settlement. In particular, the Solaris beat its Russian competitor the Lada Granta of Russian automaker AvtoVAZ, which had maintained the number one spot in terms of first half, second half and yearly sales for decades. The Kia Pride sold 39,454 units.
The Solaris has steadily gained popularity since its Russian debut in 2011 for its advanced specifications. It comes with two models – 5-door hatchback and 4-door sedan. The Solaris makes it the perfect choice for driving in Russia's harsh winter environment.
In fact, the Solaris was named the Car of the Year in its category in Russia for the fourth consecutive year from 2012 to 2015. The hot wire on the windshield prevents the windshield wiper from freezing. It is also equipped with a large washer tank considering the local climate in where it snows often.