Spring freeze: used car market freezes at last year's level

The situation with used car sales is radically different from what is happening in the new car market. If there was a significant drop in April compared to last year, then the secondary market is showing stability. Izvestia found out what this situation is related to and what the prospects are.

By zeros

By the end of April, 509,670 used passenger cars were sold in Russia. This is reported by the analytical agency Autostat. This result is 13.7% higher than in March, when 448.3 thousand cars were sold. At the same time, the figures for this April almost completely repeat the results of April 2024: last month, only 141 more cars were sold than a year earlier. In total, in four months, Russians became owners of almost 1.78 million used passenger cars, which is 2.3% more than in the same period a year earlier.

Lada models are the most popular on the secondary market: in April, they sold 135.3 thousand units. Toyota is in second place with a score of 49.6 thousand cars, Kia has a bronze medal (27.9 thousand), Hyundai (27.2 thousand cars) and Nissan (21.8 thousand units) also entered the top five. Volkswagen is on the sixth line (20.1 thousand cars), Chevrolet is in seventh place (18 thousand units). Renault (17.3 thousand cars), Honda (16.3 thousand units) and Ford (17.4 thousand cars) complete the top 10.

Compared to last April, the Lada brand showed a slight increase in sales (+6.2%) in the secondary market. Other brands showed a decrease. The most noticeable was recorded at Nissan (-9.3%).

For a long time, the Lada 2107 remains the most popular used car. Last month was no exception: Russians purchased 13.1 thousand. "sevens", which were discontinued back in the spring of 2012. Lada 2114 hatchbacks are in second place with a result of 10.4 thousand units. This is followed by Kia Rio (9.8 thousand units) and Hyundai Solaris (9.6 thousand units). The Lada 4x4 SUV (Niva) entered the top five leaders of the secondary market — 9.1 thousand cars. Priors (8,9 thousand cars), Ford Focus (8,8 thousand cars) and Toyota Corolla (7,9 thousand units) still use millet. Completing the top ten are Lada Granta (7.1 thousand units) and Toyota Camry (7 thousand units).

In 2015, cars "up to five years old" occupied 27% of the used car market, said Sergey Tselikov, General Director of Autostat. In 2020, their share decreased to 18%, and by the end of January-April 2025, they occupy only 14.4% of the market. The factor of a sharp drop in new car sales in 2022-23 will affect the used car market for a very long time, he believes. As for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, their 0.2% share in the secondary market "is at the level of statistical error," notes Sergey Tselikov.

Slight movement

The slight revival in the used car market is primarily due to dumping by sellers and a seasonal increase in consumer activity, said Roman Titov, Deputy General Director for Used Cars at Avilon AG. At the same time, there is a slight natural increase in the share of used cars imported under the parallel import scheme, he added.

— Among the key trends in the used car market, there is a weak demand for cars priced above 5 million rubles. In addition, customers place higher demands on cars regardless of mileage and year of manufacture. Dealers' desire to sell cars at minimum market prices in order to get rid of inventory is also noticeable," Roman Titov told Izvestia. He believes that in May, sales of used cars will remain at the April level.

— Used cars are usually cheaper than new ones. In addition, the secondary market is less dependent on external factors such as sanctions or logistical disruptions that could affect the supply of new cars. The demand for used cars is also supported by their large selection on the market," explained Irina Frank, CEO of Frank Auto.

The key factor in the used car market is the steady demand for budget models, Irina Frank notes. The market dominance of Lada-2107 and Lada-2114, as well as the popularity of Kia Rio and Hyundai Solaris emphasize the desire of buyers for accessibility and practicality, she believes.

— In the medium term, the secondary market may strengthen due to a reduction in the share of new foreign cars due to sanctions, which will increase the value of used foreign cars and increase competition with domestic brands. In general, the market will remain stable, but its structure will change towards more modern used foreign cars and updated domestic models, the expert believes.

Communicating vessels

There is nothing surprising in the fact that, against the background of falling sales (year-on-year) of new cars, the demand for used cars demonstrates stability, says Igor Morzharetto, partner of the analytical agency Autostat. These segments of the car market are connected to each other by the principle of communicating vessels, the expert notes.

— If it "decreases" in the new car market, it "arrives" in the used car market: those who, for one reason or another, cannot afford a new car, take used cars. Given the general decline in demand for cars, the sector of used models has simply "gone to zero," he explained.

Cars that have been in Russia for a long time are mostly sold on the secondary market — its supply from abroad is minimal, with the exception of the Far East, where there is a flow of imports from Japan, Igor Morzharetto notes. In fact, Russians just resell the same car to each other several times.

— This negatively affects the average age of the car fleet in our country: it is actively aging. If in 2014 the average age of a passenger car in Russia was 10 years, now it is about 15.5 years, — said Igor Morzharetto.

Natural selection

Despite the fact that a significant proportion of used cars sold are affordable models, including those of domestic production, their number will decrease, according to Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of Za Rulem. This is caused by the natural decline of such cars, he notes.

— There are really a lot of "Sevens", "Samar", "Prior" so far. But these are already very old cars, and, as a rule, they are not in the best technical condition. Many have frankly rotten bodies, worn-out engines, and other components and assemblies. It is simply impossible to keep them on the move for a long time, endlessly reselling each other," Maxim Kadakov told Izvestia.

In the foreseeable future, provided that artificial barriers are not created, used cars from China may appear in large numbers on the Russian market, the editor-in-chief of Za Rulem believes. At the same time, their price is likely to be quite competitive, he believes.

— In China, 3-5-year-old cars cost literally pennies. At the same time, models with internal combustion engines, against the background of the widespread interest of local buyers in hybrids and electric cars, are already perceived there as natives of the last century," the expert noted.

In Russia, such a model, taking into account recycling and customs duties, will certainly be more expensive than in China, Maxim Kadakov believes. But unlike 15-20-year-old Lada cars, they have airbags, ABS, and other modern safety and comfort systems, he emphasizes. Therefore, there will still be interest in such models in our country, the expert notes.