UzAuto Motors explains why prices of highly demanded cars have increased

Prices of Damas, Spark and Nexia cars, which have already been localized in Uzbekistan, have increased by 19-21% and Cobalt - by 10-14%.

At the same time, prices for expensive cars - Malibu 2, Tracker, Trailblazer, Equinox, Traverse and Tahoe remained unchanged.

MP Doniyor Ganiyev asked representatives of JSC Uzavtosanoat to explain the reasons for this during a parliamentary hearing. 

“You say that the cost of cars has increased because of the price of raw materials and VAT. But interestingly for some reason, prices of best-selling cars - Damas, Spark and Nexia-3 are rising, but the price of Gentra has grown only by 3%.

Based on your logic, if the price of raw materials around the world goes up, expenses for all cars will go up. Then why is the cost of Malibu not rising, but the price of Damas is increasing?

What is interesting here is that the cost of cars, which have already been localized, is increasing. However, cost of the ones, which are fully imported, remains unchanged?

In response to the question, Alexander Sakhapov, deputy director general of UzAuto Motors, said that the price of the car was kept controlled as much as possible.

“Such cars as Spark and Cobalt are popular, aren't they? These cars do not have any profit margin for the company. 

I would like to recall that Malibu 2, Tracker, and other brands are marginal, as they are premium class cars. Accordingly, each car has its own price and is sold at that price.

If we had a choice, we would not have raised prices this year.

The last time we raised the prices of our cars in 2017. Many factors have changed since then. You know it better than me. We have been doing our best to keep prices controlled.

Why did Lacetti go up only by 3%?  This is because we raised the price of Lacetti in 2017, so we have increased its price by just 3% this year.

Why are the prices of other cars increased?  Because we did not raise them before. These factors are interconnected, and this is what happened at the end,” Kun.uz correspondent quoted Alexander Sakhapov as saying.

Sakhapov also stated that UzAuto Motors is an import-dependent company and spare parts imported to Uzbekistan will affect the company.

According to him, to date, the price of raw materials - steel, plastic, precious metals and rubber has grown by 25% in the world market compared to 2017.