Surprising start to 2026 for Europe’s largest used-car markets

18 May 2026

There were some mixed results for the big five used-car markets in Europe. But which countries impressed, and which have work to do as 2026 progresses? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry analyses the latest figures.

Europe’s big five used-car markets saw mixed results in the first quarter of 2026. Two markets experienced growth, one remained stable, and two suffered declines.

It was the smaller markets of Spain and Italy that saw the best results between January and March. Meanwhile, the UK suffered a slight decline that brought an end to 12 quarters of growth. Both Germany and France struggled, the latter seeing results mirror its new-car market woes.

Most of the big five used-car markets suffered a decline in transactions during January. This weighed on their quarterly result, with only.  Spain and Italy, offsetting the losses after subsequent monthly sales improvements. In comparison, all five used-car markets grew in 2025. This means the UK, Germany and France will be hoping fortunes improve in the coming quarters.

The results also show internal-combustion engines (ICE) continue to dominate in countries where different powertrain figures are reported.

This contrasts with new-car market trends. Buyers appear to be turning to used cars, as supplies into new channels dwindle. However, there are signs of a shift in powertrain dynamics, as used transactions of petrol and diesel begin to slide.

Spain impresses again

Spain saw the best result of Europe’s big five used-car markets in the first quarter of 2026. Yet the period was not without its struggles. Figures published by GANVAM, and analysed by Autovista24, show the market grew by 2.9% between January and March. In total, 531,767 models changed hands in the period.

The year got off to a difficult start. January saw a 6% slip, with 157,776 transactions. This equated to 10,115 fewer models in the month.

However, February saw a slight recovery. With 177,150 units changing hands, this was a 4.3% year-on-year rise. The 7,334 extra transactions cut into the deficit created by January’s poor showing.

March then pushed the country’s used-car sector back into positive territory. With 196,841 transactions, figures increased by 10%, according to Autovista24 analysis. This was an increase of 17,916 sales, giving the quarter a rise of 15,095 models changing hands.

Used-car EV share increases

According to GANVAM, sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are gaining ground in Spain’s used-car market. The industry authority reported that 8,886 all-electric models were sold between January and March, a 48.8% rise. Meanwhile, sales of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) rose by 51.3%, reaching 13,710 units.

The association stated that electric vehicles (EVs) made up 4.2% of the total transactions in the first quarter. This was up from plug-in’s 2.9% share recorded a year prior.

As this increase continues, sales of ICE models are declining in Spain. Although diesel accounted for 47.8% of all transactions, it recorded a drop of almost 6%. Meanwhile, petrol sales fell by 1.3%, reaching a share of 35.8% in the quarter.

The industry association also highlighted that the Spanish used-car market is being driven by growth in newer models. Passenger cars up to five years old grew by 10.4% in the first quarter. The age group represented more than 27% of the total volume.

Meanwhile, vehicles over 15 years of age saw a 1.7% decline. These older models do, however, still account for four in every 10 transactions.

The country’s Sustainable Mobility Law could help in Spain’s desired transition to a younger vehicle fleet. The legislation has not yet been fully implemented by the Spanish government. It would incentivise the removal of the oldest and most polluting vehicles from circulation.

‘This would not only contribute to accelerating the achievement of emissions reduction targets, but also to reducing the average age of the fleet, with the important benefit that this implies for road safety,’ GANVAM stated.

Italy bounces back

After a disappointing start to the year, Italy’s used-car market bounced back to end the quarter on a positive note. Based on data from ANFIA, a total of 1,503,591 transactions took place in the period. This was a 1.8% increase compared to the same three months of 2025.

The result looked very different after January. With 444,303 sales, the market ended the month down by 5.8%. This represented 27,594 fewer transactions, according to Autovista24 analysis. The result was the first decline in the used-car market since May 2025.

However, this negative trend did not continue. In February, 506,696 models swapped hands, a 2.2% increase. Yet this additional 10,724 units could not make up for the loss in January.

But March proved to be the quarter’s saviour. With 552,592 transactions, Italy’s used-car market saw a monthly jump of 8.5%. The extra 43,105 models changing owners pushed the quarter into a positive result.

Italy’s automotive market will be hoping to ride this wave of improvement into the rest of the year.

UK sees growth streak end

The UK’s used-car sales market did not get off to the best start in 2026, with transactions remaining relatively stable after the first three months of the year.

According to the latest figures from the SMMT, a total of 2,016,232 transactions took place between January and March. This was a 0.2% decline compared to the first quarter of 2025.

The drop equated to just 4,758 fewer used-car sales in the period, based on Autovista24 calculations. The result ended a 12-quarter growth streak that dated back to the first three months of 2022.

The year got off to a good start, with January seeing a 1.7% increase in used-car sales volumes year on year. In total, 670,797 passenger cars changed hands in the month, a rise of 11,115 units. The UK was the only one of the big five European markets to see growth in the first month of the year.

However, February set a tone for the period. With 652,190 transactions, this was a 0.1% increase, with just 407 extra units compared to the second month of 2025.

March was the worst-performing month of the quarter. Volumes fell by 2.3%, wiping out the efforts from the first two months of the year. The 693,245 sales were down by 16,280 units compared to the same period in 2025. Yet last year saw the best March result since 2017, providing a high benchmark for the 2026 results to live up to.

Record results for BEVs

BEVs saw the biggest jump in used transactions year on year. The powertrain saw an increase of 32% compared to 2025 in the UK, as 86,943 models moved to new owners. This represented a 4.3% share of total used-car volumes, up from 3.3% a year prior.

Full hybrids also saw strong growth in the quarter, up 29.6% with 128,039 transactions. This was enough for a 6.4% share, according to Autovista24 calculations.

But it was not all plain sailing for electric models. Sales of PHEVs fell by 14.9%, the steepest decline of any fuel type. However, this was based on a smaller figure of 20,021 transactions between January and March 2026. PHEVs took a 1% market share.

Petrol remains the most popular fuel type when it comes to used-car transactions. Their sales remained fairly stable in the first quarter of the year, with a 0.2% dip. In total, 1,147,969 models changed hands, a fall of just 2,159 units. The powertrain made up 56.9% of the total volume.

Diesel saw a 7.3% fall in transactions, with 629,987 models finding new owners in the three-month period. With a 31.2% market share, the fuel type is still a popular choice amongst buyers.

‘The UK’s used-car market remained flat in the first quarter, held back by weakness in March in comparison with a very strong performance in 2025,’ commented SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes. ‘Better news is the record demand for used electric vehicles, as growing choice from manufacturers feeds through into the second-hand market.’

Germany experiences used-car struggles

Germany’s used-car market struggled during the first quarter of 2026. This is despite the country seeing its best monthly transaction figure in almost five years.

In total, 1,609,677 passenger cars changed hands in the first three months of the year. This was a 1.6% decline compared to the same period in 2025, according to Autovista24 analysis of available KBA data.

Much of this loss can be attributed to a poor market performance in January. During the first month of the year, 504,170 transactions took place, a 10.5% drop year on year. This equated to 59,369 fewer units moving to new ownership. February was also a poor month, with the 500,119 unit volume down by 3.5%.

However, the market was able to bounce back in March. The 605,378 transaction total was the highest monthly volume since July 2021. This provided a 9.1% boost, although the additional 50,439 units were not enough to overcome earlier losses.

This performance contrasts with Germany’s new-car market, which saw registrations soar by 5.2% in the quarter. So, the market will be hoping that used-car transactions can gather pace in the remaining months of the year.

France suffers in first quarter

The worst-performing used-car market in Europe’s big five during the first quarter of the year was France. The country’s entire automotive market appears to be struggling, with neither new nor used-car volumes able to record growth.

According to figures from AAA Data, analysed by Autovista24, the country’s used-car transactions fell 2.5% between January and March. In total, 1,330,153 models changed hands, a fall of 33,582 transactions compared to the same period last year.

Like other markets, France was undone by a particularly disappointing January. However, it was unable to recover, despite better performances in February and March, leaving it at the bottom of the big five pile.

The first month of the year saw used-car sales fall 9.6%, with 413,525 models finding new owners. This was a drop of 44,145 sales year on year. February remained stable, with a 0.1% rise as 439,649 transactions took place, 301 more than the second month of 2025.

March continued this upward trend. With 476,979 sales, the used-car market grew 2.2%. Despite this, the additional 10,257 transactions were not enough to push the market into a positive result for the quarter.

The French new-car market also experienced a 2.1% drop in volumes during the period. Therefore, the country will be hoping for better results in the rest of the year.

ICE domination drives used-car decline

According to AAA Data, January’s result was due to a sharp decline in ICE transactions. Petrol fell by 14%, as the fuel type held a 38% market share. Diesel sales dropped 12%, with a 44% share of total volumes. The weight of these powertrains in the market, therefore, dragged overall figures into a drop. 

In February, ICE volumes continued their decline, as petrol transaction dropped 4%, while diesel fell by 3%. At the same time, sales of BEVs increased by 23%, reaching a 4% market share in the month.

Meanwhile, PHEVs saw a 21% rise in models changing hands, reaching a 6% share of volumes. This, AAA Data states, represents a slow shift in the powertrain dynamic of the French used-car market.

In March, used BEVs saw a 47% jump in volumes, maintaining a 4% market share. Meanwhile, diesel transactions fell 4%, although the powertrain still accounted for 42% of the market. Petrol sales fell 2%, taking a 38% hold overall.

Leasing is also making inroads into the used-car market in France. It reached 5.1% of total transactions in March 2026 compared to only 2.7% in March 2021.

According to AAA Data, several factors explain this rise in leasing. These include the high prices of recent cars and the ever-increasing availability of cars from a previous lease agreement in the used-car market. The rise of electrified cars and the continued development of used-car purchases by companies are also playing their part.