Ukrainian roads are filling up with cars featuring modern design and up-to-date technical specifications. However, behind the facade of an updated vehicle fleet lies interesting statistics: despite the presence of trendy brands, the share of new cars remains critically low. Consumers are consciously choosing used vehicles, and there are rational explanations for this.
The paradox of choice: why used cars win over new ones
The topic of the confrontation between "new car versus used car" is always relevant, but in current realities, it takes on new contours. Buying a car with mileage is not a sign of saving money at any cost, but often a well-considered decision. By analyzing the nuances, one can identify non-obvious advantages and disadvantages of both options.
Buying a car from a dealership gives the client confidence that the vehicle is adapted to operating conditions and will serve reliably during the warranty period — usually from three to five years. However, for this "newness," one has to overpay by about 10–15% of the cost. This markup is instantly nullified as soon as the car hits the road.
Furthermore, a new car imposes on the owner a dependence on official dealership service centers. Any appeal to a third-party workshop can become a reason for losing the warranty, while the cost of a labor hour at "officials" is traditionally high.
Hidden pros of the secondary market
The car market offers buyers its unique advantages. One of the main pluses of a used car is the presence of additional equipment that the previous owner has already installed at their own expense. In a dealership, one would have to pay a considerable sum for an alarm system, seat covers, a camera, or a dashcam, whereas on the secondary market, this often comes as a package.
Another argument in favor of used cars is the huge selection. Showrooms offer limited models, whereas the market allows you to find specimens with a Ukrainian history, as well as European or American versions. Every unusual modification can be tested on the road before purchase.
However, the risks here are obvious. Finding a specimen with truthful odometer readings is practically impossible. Unknown mileage entails financial uncertainty: the owner does not know when a major engine or gearbox repair will be required.
Statistics and historical context
Despite the balance of risks and advantages, the Ukrainian consumer does not hesitate in their choice. Last year, only every 12th car purchased was new. The rest were used. In 2025, about 81–83 thousand new passenger cars were sold against 1.1 million used ones. There is no positive dynamics in favor of new cars.
Today it is hard to believe that before 2008, the share of new cars in annual sales was 30–35%, a figure close to modern German realities. In the period before the global financial crisis, about 620–623 thousand new cars were sold in Ukraine, a third of which were new.
At the beginning of the century, the situation was different thanks to the presence of five car plants in the country. In Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy, Lutsk, Kremenchuk, and Solomovo, using SKD/CKD assembly technologies, they produced Daewoo, Chevrolet, Opel, Lada, Hyundai, Kia, Skoda, and Seat. In 2007–2008, about two-thirds of all new cars were produced in Ukraine.
The assortment was wide: from budget models to status sedans. The consumer had a choice among domestic production, and imports were sought only for something special. Today, the factor of comfort and the status of the model plays a decisive role, which, combined with economic factors, pushes the market towards the secondary segment.