Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus
A former Hyundai Motor Company automobile manufacturing subsidiary in the Saint Petersburg area of Russia.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus (HMMR) was Hyundai Motor Company's Russian manufacturing subsidiary and one of the company's principal production bases in the country. The company was established on 29 February 2008, with construction beginning after a foundation-stone ceremony in June of that year. Its principal facility was located in the Sestroretsk area of Saint Petersburg and became notable as one of the first fully fledged automobile plants established in Russia by a foreign automaker. The plant was designed to support localized production for the Russian market rather than simply assemble imported vehicles. Its press shop began test operations in May 2010, after which pre-production of the Hyundai Solaris commenced. The Solaris was adapted for the regional market and was offered in both hatchback and sedan forms. Its design was associated with Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture design language, while its engines came from Hyundai's Gamma engine family. The model was presented publicly at the Moscow International Automobile Salon in August 2010, and series production followed later that year. HMMR's initial annual production capacity was reported at approximately 105,000 vehicles. The introduction of five-door production increased planned capacity to about 150,000 vehicles, while the plant was described as capable of reaching as many as 200,000 vehicles annually at full utilization. From 2011, the facility produced Hyundai Solaris and Kia Rio vehicles, making it an important manufacturing base for both Hyundai and its affiliated Kia brand. Hyundai Creta production was added in 2016. These models were aimed primarily at Russia and its surrounding markets, where locally produced compact cars and crossovers were important volume products. HMMR's industrial footprint expanded during the 2020s. In December 2020, Hyundai completed the acquisition of a decommissioned General Motors plant in Shushary, Saint Petersburg, giving the company a second Russian manufacturing site. Separately, Hyundai WIA, an affiliated Hyundai Motor Group company, opened an engine plant in Saint Petersburg in September 2021. That facility was designed to produce approximately 330,000 engines annually for Hyundai Solaris and Creta and Kia Rio applications by the end of 2021. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 changed the operating environment for foreign automakers. Production at HMMR was suspended amid supply-chain disruption, market uncertainty, and restrictions affecting the ability of international companies to operate in or extract funds from Russia. Vehicle production associated with the HMMR facilities is documented through 2022, including Solaris, Rio, and Creta production. Hyundai subsequently withdrew from Russian manufacturing. On 27 September 2023, the Saint Petersburg factory was sold to AGR Automotive, a subsidiary of Art-Finans. Hyundai finalized its exit from Russia on 26 January 2024. Assembly operations at the former facility reportedly restarted under the new owner in mid-2024 using unassembled vehicle kits, but those operations were no longer conducted by Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus. As a result, HMMR is best understood as a former Hyundai manufacturing subsidiary rather than an active Hyundai operating brand.
History
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus was established on 29 February 2008 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company. Its facility was developed in the Saint Petersburg area, at Sestroretsk, during a period when international automakers were expanding localized Russian production. A foundation-stone ceremony took place on 5 June 2008. The project was significant because it represented a full-scale foreign-owned automobile manufacturing operation rather than a limited import or contract-assembly arrangement. The plant's press shop entered test operation on 19 May 2010. Soon afterward, the company began pre-production of the Hyundai Solaris, a model developed for the regional market. The Solaris was available as a hatchback in the small-car segment and as a sedan positioned in the compact-car class. Its styling followed Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture design direction, and its powertrains used engines from the Gamma family. The first public presentation of the locally relevant Solaris models took place at the Moscow International Automobile Salon in August 2010. Series production began with a reported annual capacity of 105,000 vehicles. Capacity increased to approximately 150,000 units after five-door production was introduced, and the site was described as capable of producing as many as 200,000 vehicles annually at full capacity. Production broadened in 2011 to include the Hyundai Solaris and Kia Rio. In 2016, the Hyundai Creta crossover joined the production program. The plant therefore served not only Hyundai but also Kia, reflecting the broader manufacturing strategy of Hyundai Motor Group in Russia. HMMR's facilities expanded in the following decade. In December 2020, Hyundai completed the acquisition of a former General Motors factory in Shushary, Saint Petersburg. This became the company's second Russian plant. In September 2021, Hyundai WIA opened an affiliated engine-manufacturing facility in Saint Petersburg. The engine plant was designed for annual output of roughly 330,000 engines for Solaris, Creta, and Rio applications by the end of 2021, reinforcing the localization of the group's Russian supply chain. The operating environment changed sharply in 2022 after Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine. International automakers faced production interruptions, component shortages, sanctions-related complications, and restrictions affecting the movement of capital. HMMR's documented vehicle production ran through 2022, with the Hyundai Solaris, Kia Rio, and Hyundai Creta among its principal products, but the facilities subsequently remained inactive under Hyundai's ownership. Hyundai then pursued an exit from the Russian market. On 27 September 2023, the Saint Petersburg factory was sold to AGR Automotive, a subsidiary of Art-Finans. Hyundai finalized its Russia exit on 26 January 2024. The former plant reportedly resumed assembly in mid-2024 under AGR Automotive, using unassembled vehicle kits sufficient for approximately 70,000 vehicles. Those later activities belong to the new owner and should not be treated as continuing HMMR production. HMMR's history consequently ends with Hyundai's divestment and withdrawal from Russia.
- 2024
Hyundai exits Russia
[1]Hyundai finalized its withdrawal from Russia on 26 January.
- 2023
Saint Petersburg factory sold
[1]The factory was sold to AGR Automotive, a subsidiary of Art-Finans.
- 2021
Affiliated engine plant opens
[1]Hyundai WIA opened a Saint Petersburg engine plant intended to supply engines for locally produced Hyundai and Kia models.
- 2020
Second plant acquired
[1]Hyundai completed the acquisition of a decommissioned General Motors plant in Shushary, Saint Petersburg.
- 2016
Creta production added
[1]The Hyundai Creta joined the models produced at the Russian facility.
- 2011
Solaris and Rio production
[1]The plant's documented production program included Hyundai Solaris and Kia Rio vehicles.
- 2010
Press shop begins testing
[1]The plant's press shop began test operation on 19 May.
- 2010
Solaris pre-production and public presentation
[1]Pre-production of the Hyundai Solaris began, and the model was presented at the Moscow International Automobile Salon in August.
- 2008
Company established
[1]Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus was established on 29 February as a wholly owned Hyundai Motor Company subsidiary.
- 2008
Foundation stone laid
[1]A foundation-stone ceremony for the Saint Petersburg-area manufacturing project took place on 5 June.
Products and positioning
A localized automobile manufacturing platform serving the Russian market and supporting Hyundai Motor Group production in the region.
Passenger car · 2010
Hyundai Solaris
The Hyundai Solaris was the first major model associated with HMMR's Russian production program. Pre-production began in 2010, followed by series production. The locally relevant model was offered in hatchback and sedan body styles, combining Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture design language with Gamma-family engines. Production continued from 2011 through 2022 according to the referenced production history.
Passenger car · 2011
Kia Rio
The Kia Rio was produced at the HMMR facility from 2011 through 2022. Its inclusion extended the plant's role beyond Hyundai-branded vehicles and demonstrated the use of the facility within the wider Hyundai Motor Group manufacturing network. The model was targeted at the Russian market and formed part of the plant's high-volume compact-car output.
Compact crossover · 2016
Hyundai Creta
The Hyundai Creta joined the HMMR production portfolio in 2016. It gave the plant a compact crossover alongside its passenger-car models and remained among the facility's documented products through 2022. Engines for the Creta were also included in the intended output of the affiliated Hyundai WIA engine plant in Saint Petersburg.
Brand decisions
2024
Finalize the Russia exitStrategyBackground
The sale of the Saint Petersburg factory formed part of Hyundai Motor Company's broader withdrawal from Russian manufacturing.
Action taken
Hyundai finalized its exit from Russia on 26 January 2024.
Aftermath
Assembly operations reportedly restarted at the former facility under AGR Automotive in mid-2024 using vehicle kits, ending HMMR's role as the operator.
2023
Sell the Saint Petersburg factoryM&ABackground
Following the prolonged suspension of operations and the increasingly difficult operating environment for foreign automakers, Hyundai pursued a divestment from Russia.
Action taken
On 27 September 2023, Hyundai sold the Saint Petersburg factory to AGR Automotive, a subsidiary of Art-Finans.
Aftermath
The facility later resumed assembly under AGR Automotive, but it was no longer part of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus.
2022
Suspend Russian productionStrategyBackground
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine created major supply-chain, regulatory, and financial obstacles for international vehicle manufacturers.
Action taken
HMMR's automobile production was suspended amid the disruption affecting foreign automakers operating in Russia.
Aftermath
The facilities did not return to Hyundai ownership-based production before the company proceeded with its Russian exit.
2020
Acquire a second Saint Petersburg plantM&ABackground
Hyundai sought to expand its Russian manufacturing footprint, and a decommissioned General Motors facility in Shushary became available.
Action taken
Hyundai completed the acquisition of the former General Motors plant in December 2020, giving HMMR a second Russian production site.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded the group's industrial presence in Saint Petersburg shortly before production and investment conditions deteriorated in 2022.
Sources1 sources
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