Southern Russia's summer tire market splits as prices and demand shift in 2026

In the first quarter of 2026, sales of summer tires for passenger cars in Krasnodar Krai fell by 37% in volume compared to the same period in 2024.

In monetary terms, the decline reached 29%, dropping to 603 million rubles, according to data provided to Vedomosti Yuga by the Center for Advanced Technology Development (the operator of Russia's Chestny Znak national track-and-trace system).

The average price of a single summer tire in the region during Q1 2026 was 6,409 rubles—11% higher than in 2024 (5,752 rubles) and just 1% above the previous year's figure. In Adygea, where prices surged by 22% in 2025, the average cost decreased by 9% this year to 5,045 rubles, though it remains 11% higher than in 2024, Vedomosti reports.

Tigran Avetisyan, head of the industrial goods division at the Center for Advanced Technology Development, attributed the price fluctuations primarily to logistics challenges and currency volatility. He noted that consumers are increasingly opting for more reliable, long-lasting tire models. The drop in sales volumes, despite sustained higher prices, reflects broader market saturation and shifting consumer behavior, he explained. After a period of deferred demand in 2024–2025, buyers have become more selective, while some car owners are postponing tire replacements, extending the lifespan of their current sets.

According to Chestny Znak data, Adygea led the Southern Federal District in per capita tire sales during Q1 2026, with an average of 68.56 tires sold per 1,000 residents. Rostov Oblast followed with 20.09 tires, Krasnodar Krai with 16.13, Crimea with 15.06, and Volgograd Oblast with 11.56.