43% of Spaniards have ruled out buying a used car after inspecting it
Transparency note: This press release was originally published in Spanish. The text has been machine translated. You can find the original press release here.
More than half of respondents (54%) believe that electric and hybrid cars will be the most popular powertrain technologies in the used car market in 2050
56% call for greater range to make second-hand electric vehicles more attractive, while 61% believe combustion-engine cars will need to reduce their fuel consumption and emissions
30% have had close experience of fraud related to the purchase or sale of a second-hand car
Madrid, September 18, 2026 – The used vehicle market is facing a transformation in the coming years, driven both by the evolution of powertrain technologies and by the new needs and concerns of buyers. This is reflected in a survey conducted by CARFAX, the largest private provider of vehicle histories in Spain and Europe, among 1,000 Spanish users on the occasion of the second edition of World Used Car Day on September 18, analyzing their expectations for the future of mobility, as well as their experiences, habits and difficulties when purchasing a second-hand vehicle.
Electric and hybrid vehicles, the protagonists of the future used vehicle market
The survey reflects a clear expectation that electrified technologies will grow in the second-hand market. When asked which type of powertrain will be most popular in used vehicles in 2050, 32% of Spaniards point to electric and 22% to hybrid, meaning that, together, 54% place these two technologies as the most popular in the future used vehicle market.
In addition, other renewable energy sources such as hydrogen reach 9%, while, by comparison, 15% believe petrol vehicles will be the most popular in 2050, and 13% opt for diesel. These figures point to a scenario in which electrified technologies would gain prominence over combustion options, which currently dominate the market.
However, this expectation for the future coexists with certain barriers that consumers believe still need to be overcome. Range is the main aspect Spaniards believe should improve to make second-hand electric vehicles more attractive, according to 56% of respondents. This is followed by faster charging (33%), longer battery life (24%) and greater battery safety (19%).
In the case of hybrids, 45% believe they should be able to cover longer distances using electric power only, while 29% call for more durable batteries and 28% for lower fuel consumption once the battery has been depleted.
Perceptions of combustion-engine vehicles also point to the need for evolution. 61% of respondents believe these vehicles should consume significantly less fuel and emit fewer exhaust gases in order to remain attractive in the future. In addition, 28% call for cheaper maintenance and repairs, while 22% consider it important for spare parts to remain available for more years.
Overall, the results show that while there is a clear expectation of a greater presence of electrified technologies in the used car market, consumers have also identified the main aspects that should improve for each type of powertrain in the future.
Transparency, a key issue for used car buyers
Beyond technological evolution, transparency and trust in the market remain one of the major challenges in the second-hand market. Three in ten Spaniards say they have closely experienced some form of fraud related to the purchase or sale of a used vehicle, either as buyers (10%), as sellers (5%) or through a close family member (8%) or a friend or acquaintance (7%).
This direct or indirect experience highlights the importance of having sufficient and reliable information before making a purchase decision. In fact, 43% of Spaniards say they have decided not to buy a used car after inspecting it thoroughly: 22% have done so once, 16% several times and 5% in most of their searches.
Indeed, when Spaniards are asked about the main problems they face when looking for a used car, lack of technical knowledge ranks first, with 39% of responses. This is followed by the difficulty of determining a fair price (33%) and the lack of complete and reliable information in listings (31%).
Among respondents who say they have ruled out a purchase after carrying out an inspection, a poor vehicle history and false information provided by the seller are, at 45% each, the most frequently mentioned reasons.
The results show that the information available about a vehicle can have a direct impact on the final purchase decision and that checking its background before closing a deal can help consumers detect possible risks.
Only 29% believe they prepare well before buying a used car
The survey also reveals room for improvement in the preparation of used car buyers.
Only 29% consider themselves well or very well prepared before buying a used vehicle, compared with 35% who rate their preparation as average, 27% who consider it poor and 10% very poor.
To try to reduce this uncertainty, consumers turn to different sources of information. The most common option is relying on the opinion of someone with experience in the automotive sector, at 65%, while 39% check the vehicle history. In addition, 22% say they use artificial intelligence tools such as Gemini, ChatGPT or Perplexity to obtain an assessment before buying. Here, a clear generational divide can be seen, as 35% of those under 35 would use them, compared with 17% of those over 55.
Price remains the main appeal of used vehicles
Despite the difficulties that may arise during the buying process, used vehicles continue to offer clear advantages for consumers.
59% believe the main benefit of buying a used vehicle is access to a lower price, while 33% highlight the possibility of purchasing a car from a higher category with a smaller budget.
In addition, 22% value the possibility of extending a vehicle’s useful life and reducing the need to manufacture another one. This figure is linked to another majority opinion among respondents, with 63% indicating that they consider buying a used vehicle to be a positive option from an environmental point of view.
In this context, the used vehicle market is facing a dual transformation: on the one hand, the gradual incorporation of electric and hybrid vehicles, which consumers already rank among the technologies that will play a leading role in 2050; on the other, buyers’ growing need for reliable information that allows them to understand a vehicle’s history and make purchase decisions with greater confidence.
“The data we record every day matches what respondents are telling us: the problems that appear most often, such as mileage that does not add up or damage that was never declared, are precisely the ones that cannot be seen in a visual inspection of the car,” says Francisco Rudilla, Business Development Manager at CARFAX. “When four in ten buyers acknowledge that they lack the technical knowledge to assess a vehicle, verified history information stops being an add-on and becomes the basis on which the decision is made”.
CARFAX points out that, in many cases, the lack of information about a vehicle does not necessarily stem from an intention to conceal data, but rather from the seller’s own lack of knowledge about the car’s history. Checking this information before closing the deal allows buyers to better understand the vehicle, detect possible risks and reduce uncertainty when making a decision.
Disclaimer: survey conducted on a sample of 1,000 people representative of the general Spanish population.