Used cars: prices finally more affordable to restore purchasing power

The French used car market is finding a certain balance between price stabilization and the rise of electric vehicles.

After several years marked by a surge in prices, the used car market seems to be finally regaining some serenity. According to the Observatory published by La Centrale, the average price of a used vehicle is now set at 19,990 euros, a stable level since the beginning of the year and identical to that observed a year ago. This is a symbolic threshold as it corresponds to the maximum budget of nearly 80% of the French for purchasing their next car.

However, this stabilization does not mean that all segments are evolving in the same way. Vehicles aged between 5 to 15 years, particularly sought after for their price/performance ratio, are seeing their prices increase. Models aged 5 to 8 years gain nearly 5% year-on-year, while those aged 8 to 15 years increase by more than 4%. This is a direct consequence of household budget adjustments, which now favor older cars that are more financially accessible.

Electric finds its place

Another major insight concerns the rising strength of used electric vehicles. Searches for electric vehicles have skyrocketed by 249% in a year, leading to a strong decrease in available stocks, especially for models listed under 20,000 euros. Electric city cars are particularly coveted, with a 54% drop in the number of listings.

Finally, the market continues to rebalance according to engine types. Diesel is becoming the most affordable option with an average price of 17,990 euros, while gasoline remains stable. Hybrid vehicles, on the other hand, are experiencing the greatest price drop, with a decline of 10% year-on-year.

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