The Moskvich 8, the latest crossover in the Russian brand's portfolio, faced a failure right from the start of its sales. In two weeks on the market, only one car was sold, which speaks of a complete lack of interest from consumers.
A high-priced copy
The main reason for this market crash is the unreasonably high price of the model. The Moskvich 8 is an identical copy of the Chinese JAC Sehol X8 Plus, but while the original model is offered at prices from $14,000 to $19,500, its Russian counterpart costs between $38,200 and $43,200. This price difference is extremely large and repels potential buyers.
Although it is equipped with a digital dashboard, all-round vision cameras and artificial leather upholstery, consumers do not see the logic in paying almost twice as much for the same car. At this price, they can buy established and reliable models from global brands such as the Mitsubishi Outlander or Nissan X-Trail, which offer proven quality and a better reputation.
Technical characteristics and lack of market success
The Moskvich 8 is a 4.8-meter crossover, available with five or seven seats. It is powered by a 1.5-liter turbo engine with 174 horsepower and a 7-speed automatic transmission. While these features sound decent, the lack of an all-wheel drive option further diminishes its appeal.
This case shows that even a well-known name like Moskvich cannot compensate for the lack of an adequate marketing strategy and competitive price. The failure of the Moskvich 8 is a clear signal that consumers are not willing to pay excessively for replicas when they have access to quality and cheaper alternatives.