Russia has passed off the Chinese Geely Monjaro SUV as a new Volga model
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum hosted a public presentation of the new flagship crossover, the "Volga K50," which is being positioned as a symbol of the revival of the Soviet automotive brand.
However, a closer look at the new model revealed an important detail: hidden beneath the Russian logos is the well-known Chinese model, the Geely Monjaro.
The aggressor state, which is subject to strict international sanctions and technological isolation, has once again resorted to simply slapping new badges on finished vehicles from China, passing off foreign designs as its own achievements.
The presented vehicle belongs to the segment of large urban “D-class SUVs.”
Company officials reported that under the hood, the vehicle is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine producing 238 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an AWD system.
The base model on display also features a panoramic roof, a chrome vertical grille, and modern LED headlights.
The starting price for this Chinese car on the Russian market will be at least 4.2 million rubles, which is equivalent to approximately $53,000.
The announced pricing policy has sparked a wave of criticism even among Russian analysts due to the massive markup.
For comparison: the original all-wheel-drive Geely Monjaro crossover is sold on the Chinese domestic market for a starting price of 1.5 million rubles, which is about $19,000.
Thus, due to complex logistics, tariffs, and the desire of Russian manufacturers to profit from the domestic shortage, the final cost of the car for Russian buyers has nearly tripled compared to the original.
What is known about the original Geely Monjaro crossover
The Chinese “Geely Monjaro,” which Russians are trying to pass off as their own new model, is Geely’s technological flagship and is built on the modern Swedish-Chinese CMA modular platform.
This architectural framework was jointly developed by engineers from Geely and its premium subsidiary brand, Volvo, so the car has a European technical foundation.
The body length of the original crossover is 4,770 millimeters, and the 2,845-millimeter wheelbase provides ample space for rear-seat passengers and a spacious luggage compartment.
The car’s interior is designed with the premium segment in mind, featuring soft eco-leather with diamond-patterned stitching, ventilated and massaging seats, as well as a premium audio system with 12 speakers.
However, all these high-tech solutions are the exclusive intellectual property of the Chinese conglomerate, while the localization of the so-called “Volga” was limited to manufacturing a different plastic radiator grille and installing new chrome lettering on the trunk doors.
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As a reminder, the Chinese crossover Jaecoo 7 topped new car sales in the UK in March 2026.
