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Used-Car Market 2025: Analysis and 2026 Forecast
Explore how 2025 went for used-car traders, what changed in the EU used-car market, and whether used-car prices will go down in 2026.
For car traders, the end of the year means that it’s time to analyse what happened with the market in the past year.
So, let’s recap the key numbers and trends across the EU used-car market in 2025 so that you can make realistic car predictions for 2026 and plan your next purchases.
What happened to the used-car market in Europe in 2025?
Overall, 2025 was a fairly steady year for the European used-car market.
Although the prices went up at the beginning of the year, they declined gradually later in the year, so the market ended 2025 close to where it started.
You can see this in the AUTO1 Group Price Index. The price index reaches its highest point in the middle of 2025, and then returns to a similar level by December.
Source: Auto1 Group
You should note that even though overall prices were stable, residual values still fell in many European markets in 2025.
This means that three-year-old cars retained a smaller share of their original value than in 2024.
A small fall in residual values shouldn’t be a big concern on its own. Autovista describes falling residual values as part of a longer trend across Europe, not just a short-term change.
So, used-car prices in 2025 were stable, but what about the number of sales?
Autovista’s data for Europe’s biggest markets shows that the used-car market stayed active throughout the year.
In the third quarter of 2025, Autovista24 reported that all five major markets they track (Spain, Italy, the UK, Germany, and France) sold more used cars than in the same quarter in 2024.
Source: Autovista24
In most of these markets, the total number of sales was also higher in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Regarding the fuel type, petrol and diesel were still the most common fuel types in used-car sales across most European countries.
Of course, the most popular fuel type depends a lot on the country.
For instance, in Spain, ICE cars made up 89.9% of used-car transactions.
At the same time, France had 27% more used EV sales in August 2025 compared to the year before, and 44% more in September 2025.
So, before you decide on the fuel type you’ll import, make sure you check the demand in your local market.
One more thing that matters to used-car traders is what happened in the new-car market in 2025.
ACEA reported that in the EU, EVs made up 16.9% of new registrations in January to November 2025, while petrol and diesel together made up 36%.
Source: ACEA
In the same period in 2024, EVs were at 13.4%, and petrol + diesel were at 45.8%, so it’s clear that the new-car market is moving toward electric and hybrid cars, and away from pure petrol and diesel.
Used-car market performance per country in Europe
A general overview of the market is helpful for noticing big trends.
But to choose the right cars to buy and sell, you should also look at what’s happening in each local market.
Here’s how the used-car market performed across key European countries in 2025.
► Germany
→ 2025 performance
Germany’s used-car market was quite stable, meaning that it was very similar to 2024.
Autovista reports that used-car sales in the third quarter of 2025 were about 1% higher than in the third quarter of 2024.
If you look at the quarter month by month, you’ll notice a small decrease in used-car transactions in August compared to the same month a year ago.
The market recovered again in September, which suggests that demand stayed steady overall.
Source: Autovista24
→ EV adoption rate
Germany is the EU’s largest EV market. In 2025, Germany had a 41.3% rise in new EV registrations in January to November 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
You can also see from the ACEA chart that EVs already take up a big share of Germany’s new-car registrations.
Source: ACEA
This shows us that adoption is growing and that more EVs will enter the used-car market over the next few years.
→ Main market influences and challenges
While there were no big changes in car taxes or incentives, the German used-car market struggled with decreasing residual values, like the rest of Europe.
According to Autovista, in June 2025 Germany’s average residual value for a 3-year-old car was 48.2%, which was 1.7 percentage points lower than a year earlier.
So, the change wasn’t dramatic, but it still shows that residual values were lower than the year before.
→ Forecast for 2026
In 2026, Autovista expects residual values in Germany to keep falling slightly, but with a smaller decline than in 2025.
And since new EV registrations are still rising, it’s likely that more EVs will enter the used-car market over the next few years.
► France
→ 2025 performance
France’s used-car market was also stable.
Used-car sales in the third quarter of 2025 were 0.6% higher than in the same quarter of 2024, and total sales in the first nine months of 2025 were 0.8% higher than in the same period of 2024.
Source: Autovista24
When you analyze the third quarter by month, you’ll see that 2025 transactions dropped a bit, but they rose again later.
→ EV adoption rate
New EV registrations continued to increase in France. ACEA states that France had 9.1% more EV registrations in January to November 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Used EV transactions also increased. There were 27% more used EV transactions in August 2025 compared to August 2024, and 44% more in September 2025.
→ Main market influences and challenges
France uses Crit’Air stickers to control which cars can enter Low Emission Zones.
In May 2025, the parliament voted to abolish the Zones. The change is not in force yet, so the stickers still apply for now.
So, there are two opposing factors to consider.
First, the number of both new and used EVs in France is increasing.
Second, ICE cars still make up most of the car market. That’s why it makes sense to stock both EVs and petrol/diesel cars in your dealership.
→ Forecast for 2026
Experts at Autovista expect residual values to keep moving down, but at a slower pace than before.
Also, the number of used EV sales will likely increase as more EVs become available on the market.
► Spain
→ 2025 performance
Spain had the strongest growth among the big five markets in 2025 when it comes to used-car sales.
The used-car transactions in the third quarter of 2025 were 7.4% higher than in the same quarter of 2024, and totals in January to September 2025 were 4.4% higher than the same period in 2024.
Source: Autovista24
→ EV adoption rate
Spain’s EV adoption kept increasing in 2025. You can see this clearly in ACEA’s chart of new car registrations by power source for Spain from January to November 2025.
Source: ACEA
Autovista24 also reports that Spain’s used BEV sales grew in 2025, up 50.5% in January to September.
That’s a 1.3% share of the used-car market, which means EVs are still a small part of used sales, but they are growing.
→ Main market influences and challenges
Spain has one of the oldest fleets in the EU.
In 2025, cars that are over 15 years old made up around 40% of used-car transactions. So, there’s big demand for older, budget-friendly cars.
Other than that, Spain’s 2025 market was shaped by EV incentives.
The Moves III Programme was extended in April 2025, and it helped increase demand for EVs. This will gradually increase the number of EVs entering the used market.
→ Forecast for 2026
In 2026, Spain will likely keep seeing strong demand for older, more affordable ICE models.
At the same time, more new EV registrations should gradually bring more EVs into the used market.
It’s an interesting mix, because it means the market can grow in two directions simultaneously.
► Italy
→ 2025 performance
Italy’s used-car market grew in 2025, even though the new-car market was weaker.
A look at the third quarter of 2025 shows that used-car sales were higher than a year earlier in each month, which makes Italy stand out among the big markets.
Source: Autovista24
For January to September 2025, Autovista24 reports the used market was up by 4% compared to the same period in 2024.
→ EV adoption rate
Contrary to many other countries in this overview, EVs are still a smaller segment in Italy.
Although the number of registered EVs is slowly increasing, pure EVs are outnumbered by petrol and diesel vehicles.
Source: ACEA
Still, hybrids have a much larger share than pure EVs. So, Italy is moving towards electrification, but mostly through hybrids, not full EVs.
→ Main market influences and challenges
Similarly to Spain, a big part of Italy’s used-car market is still made up of older cars.
UNRAE reports that in September 2025, cars over 10 years old made up 49.6% of used-car ownership transfers, so almost half of the market.
Also, in September 2025, petrol overtook diesel for the first time in Italy’s used-car transfers, so that might be a point to consider when deciding on what fuel types to stock.
→ Forecast for 2026
In 2026, Italy will likely keep a strong demand for older ICE cars, simply because they represent such a big part of used transactions today.
But the increase in new hybrid registrations should gradually bring more used hybrids to the market.
► Poland
→ 2025 performance
Poland’s used-car market had a tougher 2025 than many Western EU markets.
Autovista mentions that high supply and limited demand lowered residual values of used cars in the first part of the year.
The price index shows that used-car prices in Poland kept falling in early 2025, and by June 2025 they were roughly 8% lower than in January 2024.
Source: Autovista24
→ EV adoption rate
The fact that EV registrations increased by 60.9% in the first half of 2025 may sound encouraging, but it’s important to add some context.
Even with that increase, EVs still make up only around 5% of the new-car market.
So in Poland, it’s usually better to stock EVs in smaller numbers for now, and increase the EV offer only when you see steady demand in your area.
→ Forecast for 2026
In 2026, Poland will likely stay a market where buyers focus strongly on price, and well-priced ICE cars should still sell quickly.
Demand for EVs is expected to grow slightly, but EVs are still not the first choice for most buyers in Poland.
► Portugal
→ 2025 performance
Portugal’s used-car market started 2025 with strong demand. In March 2025, demand for used cars was up 46% compared to March 2024.
Most of the demand increase came from more affordable cars.
In March 2025, demand for models priced under €15,000 rose 43% compared to the year before. Demand for cars priced between €15,000 to €30,000 grew by 27%.
→ EV adoption rate
The European Alternative Fuels Observatory reports that Portugal had its highest EV share so far in January 2025.
The Observatory also mentions an increase in imported used EVs (80% more than at the same time in 2024), which can bring more electric cars into the used market.
However, electrification is not just about EVs in Portugal.
As you can see in ACEA’s overview of new registrations by fuel type, hybrids and plug-in hybrids also take a large share of new registrations, alongside EVs.
Source: ACEA
→ Forecast for 2026
Portugal will likely remain a market where well-priced used ICE cars sell well, because the fleet is still older on average.
And since EVs and hybrids make up a growing share of new registrations, you can expect more electrified cars to appear in the used market over the next few years.
► The Netherlands
→ 2025 performance
The Dutch used-car market stayed active in 2025.
BOVAG reports that used-car sales were up in the first half of 2025 (+4.2%) compared to the same period in 2024.
The trend continued later. In the third quarter of the year, used-car sales increased both through dealerships and in private sales between individuals, compared to the same quarter in the previous year.
→ EV adoption rate
The Netherlands is still one of Europe’s strongest EV markets, as EVs already make up a very large share of new registrations.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids also take a big part, while diesel is only a small segment.
Source: ACEA
In terms of used EVs, the growth is slower.
BOVAG reports that used-car transfers of fully electric vehicles grew from 3.9% to 4.4% between January and September 2025, compared to the same period a year earlier.
This suggests that the used-EV market is growing, but not too quickly.
→ Main market influences and challenges
In 2025, the Netherlands no longer had national purchase subsidies for EVs.
The SEPP and SEBA subsidy programs ended in early 2025, so buyers had less direct financial support for buying EVs.
In practice, this meant that traders often had to lower the prices of EVs to motivate buyers to make a purchase.
→ Forecast for 2026
With such a high number of EVs in the Netherlands, it can be expected that more hybrids and EVs will enter the used market.
But since the main purchase subsidies ended, the demand for used EVs may grow more slowly.
► Belgium
→ 2025 performance
In April 2024, Belgian used-car transactions were higher by 1.8% compared to the year earlier, states a Traxio report. In contrast, new-car registrations were lower.
Source: Traxio
Overall, this is describing a market where people still rely heavily on used cars, especially considering the high prices of new cars.
→ EV adoption rate
EV adoption is fairly high in Belgium, at least with new vehicles.
New BEV registrations in Belgium were up 10.2% in January to November 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
That’s not surprising, if we note that EVs already take a big share of new registrations.
Source: ACEA
But the situation is completely different in the used-car market.
Traxio data reported by The Brussels Times shows hybrids made up 10.6% of used-car registrations, while fully electric cars were only 3.2%.
→ Main market influences and challenges
In Belgium, one practical factor for dealers is the Brussels Low Emission Zone.
From 1 January 2026, Brussels will no longer allow Euro 5 diesel and Euro 2 petrol vehicles to drive in the Brussels Region.
For traders, this matters because some older petrol and diesel cars may become harder to sell to buyers who drive into Brussels, so you should adjust your offer accordingly.
→ Forecast for 2026
In 2026, Belgium will likely keep a strong demand for used ICE cars, because many buyers still prioritise budget and practicality.
But if you stock EVs, match them to local demand and Low Emission Zone rules.
► Romania
→ 2025 performance
Romania’s 2025 market was active, but not too stable.
According to ACAROM, new-car registrations rose by 38.86% in September 2025 versus September 2024, but January to September 2025 was still down -5.8% compared to the same period in 2024.
The used-car market had better results. Used cars registered for the first time in Romania increased by 9.95% in January to September 2025, and in September 2025 they were 12.76% higher than in September 2024.
→ EV adoption rate
When it comes to electric vehicles, Romanian buyers prefer hybrids over pure EVs.
Source: ACEA
So, while there’s some demand for EVs, it’s likely best to stock fewer of them and focus more on hybrids, which are easier to sell in most parts of the market.
→ Forecast for 2026
Based on the low demand for EVs in the used-car sector, we can expect that Romanian buyers will keep looking for affordable ICE options in 2026.
But since there are already a lot of hybrids among new registrations, more hybrids could gradually enter the used-car market soon.
How did the used Light Commercial Vehicle segment perform in the EU in 2025?
A useful indicator for the used light commercial market is what happened in the new-vehicle market in 2025.
ACEA’s EU data for the first nine months of 2025 shows new van registrations fell by 8.2% compared to the same period in 2024.
Source: ACEA
Truck sales were also down, and bus sales increased slightly.
For used-van supply, this means that fewer young vans will come into the market later on.
Keep in mind that many LCV buyers need vans for daily work.
For them, it’s more important that the vehicle is reliable and ready to use than that it’s brand new. Because of that, a slower new-van market isn’t necessarily a problem for used LCVs.
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Practical filters on the platform let you find exactly what your market needs. For example, you can filter by fuel type, mileage, age, gearbox, origin country, and more.
Filtering options are helpful because some markets still sell petrol and diesel fastest, while others are moving more towards hybrids and EVs.
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Will used-car prices drop in 2026? What our experts say
So, what is the future of the used-car market? Are used-car prices going down?
At the EU level, the AUTO1 Group Price Index ended 2025 close to where it started, so the market looks stable overall.
Autovista’s outlook suggests that residual values should keep moving down in 2026, but the declines are expected to be smaller than in 2025.
In many major markets, they expect residual values to be up to around 1.5 percentage points lower by the end of 2026.
In other words, most dealers should not expect a big drop in used-car prices in 2026.
The market may get slightly cheaper, but changes will likely be small.
► Used EV prediction
We’ve seen that more EVs have entered the new-car market this year.
Also, more EVs will enter the used-car market when leased EVs from the last few years start getting resold.
This means that buyers will have a wider choice of EVs, so dealers may have to adjust their pricing strategies in the next year.
► ICE car prediction
For ICE cars, 2026 should look more stable than EVs in many markets, mainly because petrol and diesel are still the majority of the used-car sales across Europe.
You’ll also hear a lot about the EU’s ban on new ICE cars in 2035.
An important thing to remember is that this policy is about new registrations, not the cars that are already on the road.
You’ll be allowed to drive and resale used ICE cars after 2035, so this doesn't automatically change how used-car prices or demand will move in 2026.
Sources used in the article:
- AUTO1 Group. (30 June 2025). Used Car Prices Climbed in First Half of 2025
- AUTO1 Group. (22 December 2025). AUTO1 Group Price Index shows decrease in used car prices in December 2025
- Autovista24. (1 December 2025). Monthly Market Update: Used-car residual value pitfall continues
- Autovista24. (12 November 2025). Which European used-car markets are performing the best so far in 2025?
- ACEA. (23 December 2025). New car registrations: +1.4% in November 2025 year-to-date; battery-electric 16.9% market share
- European Alternative Fuels Observatory (EAFO). (3 April 2025). Spain Extends MOVES III Incentives Programme with €400 million boost to electric mobility
- Autovista24. (10 November 2025). Italy’s EV jeopardy continues as registrations stabilise in October
- UNRAE. (21 November 2025). A settembre il mercato dell’auto usata segna l’incremento più sostenuto dell’anno (6,8%)
- Revista Pos-Venda. (17 October 2025). Importação de automóveis usados cresce 23% em setembro
- BOVAG. (3 July 2025). Occasionverkoop groeit verder in eerste halfjaar 2025
- BOVAG. (2 October 2025). Verkoop occasions stijgt door in derde kwartaal 2025
- TRAXIO. (April 2025). Avril 2025: Le marché de l’occasion continue de progresser (+1,8%)
- The Brussels Times. (6 May 2025). SUVs and compact city cars dominate growing second-hand market
- ACAROM. (1 October 2025). Inmatriculari de autoturisme noi in Romania
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