Used car prices soar 8.7% to 17,795 euros on average in Spain

Sales of second-hand passenger cars and SUVs totalled 1,264,950 units in Spain up to July, which is 5.2% more than in the same period last year, according to MSI data for the national association of vehicle sellers and repairers (GANVAM). In July alone, sales grew by 5.8% to 193,933 units, which means that for every new car, two used cars are sold.

This growth in sales has been accompanied by an increase in prices, which have shot up by 8.7% in July to a record 17,795 euros on average. The increase compared to the previous month is 1.5%. Although moderate, it breaks the trend of the last nine months, in which consecutive decreases had been detected.

July once again shows a clear polarisation by age. Vehicles of over 20 years of age are those with the highest price increases – 15%, reaching 5,905 euros. Cars between 16 and 20 years old (+12.3%) and those between 11 and 15 (+9.5%) also recorded significant rises, indicating that these brackets continue to be in high demand.

In contrast, nearly new vehicles (of less than 1 year) show an average price drop of 7.5% to 36,889 euros. This is the only segment to experience a significant drop, which can be seen as an opportunity for those looking for a practically new car at a lower price. Vehicles between 1 and 3 years of age maintained a moderate increase of 1.4%, while those between 4 and 5 years grew by 3.4%, according to the monthly barometer of Coches.net.

The trend in the price of almost new vehicles confirms a downward trend that no longer appears to be exceptional. After falling by 9.5% in June and registering year-on-year declines since March, July saw a further drop of 7.5%, indicating a progressive correction in this segment. This decline, moreover, contrasts with the generalised rises in the rest of the second-hand market.

The map by regions shows generalised increases, although with large territorial differences. Navarre recorded the highest increase in the country, with 20%, followed by the Canary Islands (15.5%) and La Rioja (14.7%). Regions such as Asturias (+11%), Extremadura (+10.6%) and Murcia (+10.3%) also recorded increases of more than 10%.

In terms of absolute prices, the Basque Country is once again the region with the most expensive second-hand vehicle, at 19,529 euros, followed by Catalonia (19,422 euros) and Madrid (19,331 euros). At the opposite end of the scale are La Rioja (16,082 euros), the Canary Islands (16,088 euros) and Extremadura (15,559 euros), which means differences of up to 4,000 euros depending on region.

Combustion cars wanted

Analysis by fuel type reveals that traditional engines remain strong. Petrol vehicles reach an average price of 17,220 euros, up 8.3% compared to July 2024. Diesel vehicles, meanwhile, stand at 14,095 euros, up 5.5% year-on-year.

These figures confirm that conventional engines continue to be the most popular in the used car market. At the other end of the scale, electric and hybrid vehicles continue their downward trend and mark a new decline. Their average price fell to 30,553 euros, a drop of 6.4% year-on-year.