Which models are selling the most in the second-hand vehicle market?

The stagnation in new car sales was broken last year with record-breaking figures. A total of 1 million 232 thousand units were sold throughout last year. However, as of 2024, supply chain issues and the rise in foreign exchange rates have led to price increases and a decline in sales.

At the beginning of the second half of the year, the Ministry of Trade's ban on the sale of vehicles that do not comply with European safety standards caused movement in the market.

Many dealerships launched campaigns to offload vehicles that did not meet these specifications. While this stimulated sales, the momentum slowed down again once the final sales deadline passed.

The exchange rate, rising energy costs, and upward adjustments in the profit margins of distributors and dealerships have brought about price hikes for new vehicles.

PRICES OF BEST-SELLING CARS INCREASED BY 300,000 TL IN 4 MONTHS

The steady rise in dealership price tags since June has reached a total of 20 percent.

According to a report in the Türkiye newspaper, the prices of Turkey's best-selling cars have increased by an average of 300,000 liras over the last 4 months. This situation has invigorated the second-hand car market.

PRICES HAVE RISEN IN THE SECOND-HAND MARKET

Buyers who find new cars too expensive have turned to second-hand vehicles. This has led to increased activity in the second-hand market.

As demand increased, prices for second-hand cars also rose by around 10 percent. A car dealer specializing in second-hand sales stated that sales are better compared to the summer period, noting, "The revival in new car sales over the last year had slowed down the second-hand market. 

A dealership that normally sells 10 cars a month was struggling to close the month with 3 sales. There is a positive atmosphere in sales with the arrival of autumn. Any merchant who says they cannot sell cars is lying. Of course, it depends on which period they are comparing it to; if they compare it to 2021-2022, when the second-hand market peaked, they are certainly earning less. Currently, sales are better than they were 6 months ago," he said.

WHICH MODELS ARE SELLING THE MOST IN THE SECOND-HAND MARKET?

Stating that the revival in the second-hand market is also reflected in prices, the dealer said, "For example, while the selling price of a diesel automatic Renault Megane was hovering between 1 million and 1.1 million liras in May-June, today it can be sold for up to 1.25 million or even 1.3 million liras. In other words, there has been a 5-10 percent price increase."

Dealers, who say the most preferred models are late-model vehicles with low mileage, add, "Because the price of new cars is high, buyers prefer lightly used vehicles. Family cars in the 1 million to 1.5 million lira range are selling well. On the commercial side, there is not the same level of activity. Light commercial vehicle sales are not as strong as passenger cars."

As is the case at the end of every year, discounts are expected on new car prices at the end of this year as well. It is noted that a certain segment of the population is waiting to take advantage of these campaigns. However, experts say that discounts will be applied on top of the price hikes made today, and therefore the campaigns are not very attractive.