Finally a significant drop in prices on the second-hand market? During the first three months of the year, the average price of a used car stood at 21,900 euros, a decrease of 2.6% (590 euros) compared to the last quarter of 2023, according to the reference observatory, La Centrale.
A “gain in purchasing power”
A trend that is observed in vehicles less than 8 years old and particularly in the most recent ones. Models that had seen their prices skyrocket with the shortage of new vehicles.
“The market is being regulated, the resumption of deliveries of new cars brings down the prices of used vehicles and demand increases, but not at any price. The French will gain purchasing power and will be able to choose newer used cars , with fewer kilometers or cleaner engines”, analyzes Anaïs Harmant, marketing director of La Centrale, quoted in a press release.
Electric and hybrid vehicles fall sharply
An average price that varies greatly depending on the choice of engine. Unlike the new market, diesel, for example, continues to be the leader in the second-hand market: more than 226,000 sales in March alone, according to the latest Autoscout24 barometer. A volume certainly less than 10% in one year, but which still represents almost half of the second-hand market (48%). We find an average price identical to the global average recorded by La Centrale, of 21,900 euros, 2.2% less than at the end of 2023.
The second most popular engine is the gasoline engine, with nearly 41% of the second-hand market in March, with 193,161 units. In the first quarter, the average price of these models was 18,990 euros, a decrease of 2.6%.
Electric and hybrid engines continue to be the most expensive engines on the market, with an average price of 30,590 euros, but 4.4% less than at the end of last year and even 12.6% if we compare with the first quarter of 2023 .
A “second-hand electrified” market that is still marginal, but growing. Combining sales of simple hybrid, plug-in hybrid and 100% electric models, there were 47,500 sales in March, or just over 10% of the second-hand market.
Source: BFM TV
