Experts named the reasons for rising prices for spare parts: what awaits owners of Chinese cars

In 2026, auto parts in Russia will rise in price by an average of 10–25%: experts cite the reasons for the increase in VAT to 22%, the expansion of the “Honest Mark” label, changes in the tax regime for service stations and the complication of foreign logistics.

Tax factor: VAT 22% and new burden on service

In 2026, prices for most auto parts in Russia, according to industry experts, will increase by 10–25%, while certain categories may rise in price either more or less than the average range. One of the key drivers is the increase in VAT from 20 to 22% from January 1: an additional 2 percentage points are sequentially applied to each link in the chain - from the factory and importer to the distributor, store and service station.

Experts emphasize that due to the complex structure of the market, the VAT effect turns out to be higher than the nominal 2%: with successive markups and “margin tax”, the final retail price of a part can increase by 10–15% only due to tax correction. Additionally, the cost is affected by changes in service station tax regimes (the transition of some companies from the simplified tax system to other systems), due to which services include in the price not only the cost of the part, but also the increased fiscal burden.

Marking “Honest Sign” and its contribution to the price

Another source of price increases is the expansion of the list of auto products that fall under the digital marking “Honest Sign”. Already, large distributors are paying for codes for technical fluids, and from May 1, 2026, the mandatory list will include auto lamps; filters, spark plugs, brake pads and other mass consumables are at the experimental stage.

Officially, the system operator and the Ministry of Finance estimate the direct contribution of labeling to approximately 1% of the final cost of a product unit, but business points to hidden costs: accounting, scanning, modification of IT systems, storage, work with codes and personnel. For expensive components (for example, optics or complex electronic components), the effect is felt as 20–40 rubles per part and is almost unnoticeable, but for cheap items like lamps and inexpensive filters, the share of labeling and associated costs can be a noticeable part of the retail price.

Logistics and shortages: it’s especially painful for the “Japanese” and “Koreans”

The geopolitical situation and the regime of parallel imports make logistics for auto parts longer, more difficult and more expensive. Supplies of original and high-quality non-original parts for Japanese and Korean brands are increasingly going through Middle Eastern countries, Turkey, Iran and other “transshipment” jurisdictions, which increases transportation costs, time and risks, and therefore the price for the end consumer.

Against this background, owners of Chinese passenger cars find themselves in a more advantageous position: many brands are actively developing official and semi-official supply channels to Russia, and some spare parts are already localized or supplied directly from China without complex “snakes” through third countries. Nevertheless, even for Chinese models, the logistics factor is not zeroed out: rising prices for sea transportation, exchange rate fluctuations, customs control and rising taxes push up the cost of even those parts that are formally “not in short supply.”

Which parts are becoming more expensive the most

According to experts, the most noticeable price increases in 2026 will be suspension parts, steering elements, brake system components, optics and electrical equipment. This is due to the high share of imports in these groups, and to the fact that such items are critical to safety and are less often replaced by the cheapest analogues, so manufacturers and distributors are more free to include cost increases there.

On the contrary, oils, consumables and some technical fluids will rise in price more moderately - by approximately 5-12% compared to the end of 2025, depending on the brand and delivery channel. For owners of Chinese cars, who are actively expanding their fleet in Russia, this means that scheduled maintenance (oil, filters, fluids) will increase in price, but not so sharply, while complex repairs of the suspension or brake system can become much more painful for the wallet.

OSAGO directories already record growth, insurers too

Not only suppliers, but also insurance companies are talking about the rise in prices for spare parts: in the new edition of the reference book on the average cost of parts, which is used to calculate payments under OSAGO, average prices have increased by approximately 3% compared to the previous version. The Russian Union of Auto Insurers (RUA) notes that spare parts for a number of European and Korean brands have increased in price the most, while for other brands the growth is more moderate, buta price reduction is no longer observed.

For owners of Chinese passenger cars this is a two-fold signal: on the one hand, the cost of repairs under OSAGO and comprehensive insurance using “average” prices will increase, on the other hand, the mass availability and availability of parts from China helps to restrain the most severe jumps that are already observed for “Japanese” and “Korean” cars. As a result, it is precisely the group of Chinese brands that is gradually becoming for the Russian market the “fulcrum” for the availability of spare parts, although here, too, the general trend towards rising prices in 2026 cannot be avoided.