80% of users in Spain are unaware of damage to their car before consulting a CARFAX report
Transparency note: This press release was originally published in Spanish. The text has been machine translated. You can find the original press release here.
51% of vehicles in Spain present some type of associated risk, such as minor damage or accidents, mileage inconsistencies, or even origins such as imports or rental vehicles
More than 10 million cars in circulation have suffered damage or accidents of varying severity
In Spain, there are around 1.5 million imported cars and almost 2 million vehicles belonging to rental fleets
Madrid, May 20th 2026 – Buying a used car without knowing its history can end up costing much more than expected. According to a CARFAX analysis, 80% of users in Spain who consulted a report with incidents admit that they were previously unaware of the vehicle’s damage. Specifically, more than 8 out of 10 users who received a CARFAX report containing information about accidents or damage of varying severity were not aware of all the issues associated with the vehicle they were about to purchase.
This figure reflects a notable lack of transparency in the Spanish used car market. According to CARFAX data, 51% of vehicles present at least one associated risk factor, ranging from previous damage or irregularities in mileage to purely informational aspects, such as imports or prior use as a rental vehicle.
If these figures are extrapolated to the entire Spanish vehicle fleet, it is estimated that more than 13.5 million cars could have incidents or relevant data in their history whose traceability should be known before purchase.
Almost 4 in 10 cars have suffered damage or accidents
In the case of vehicles with previously documented damage or accidents, the percentage stands at 39%, which equates to more than 10 million cars currently on the road that have suffered some type of damage or accident of varying severity, although a large proportion of these incidents correspond to minor or cosmetic damage. This is one of the main risk factors to consider when reviewing a vehicle’s history.
An ageing fleet with multiple owners
The CARFAX analysis also highlights some structural characteristics of the Spanish vehicle fleet. The average age of vehicles is 14.7 years, with an average mileage of 174,704 kilometres, pointing to an increasingly ageing fleet.
In addition, 50% of vehicles are 15 years old or more, and only 44% have had a single owner, with an average of 2.6 owners per car.
Imports and rental vehicles: greater exposure to risk
The analysis also shows significant differences depending on the origin of the vehicle. 6% of cars in Spain (1.5 million) are imported, and among them, 40% have recorded damage. In the case of vehicles from rental fleets, which represent 7% of the total (almost 2 million cars), 33% have suffered some type of damage.
Likewise, imported vehicles show a higher average mileage (205,219 km) compared to 135,400 km for rental vehicles. However, CARFAX notes that rental car fleets are renewed more frequently, which directly influences their average mileage.
Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia concentrate the market
In terms of geographical distribution, Madrid accounts for 15% of the vehicle fleet, followed by Barcelona (8%) and Valencia (4%), making them the main hubs of the used car market in Spain.
In terms of engine type, the fleet is dominated by diesel (48%) and petrol (41%), while hybrid vehicles account for 9% and electric vehicles just 1%.
The most common brands and models in the used car market: Renault, Volkswagen and SEAT lead
Among the most common brands in the Spanish used car market are Renault and Volkswagen (9% each), followed by SEAT and Peugeot (8%) and Citroën (7%). These are generally older vehicles, with an average age of between 15 and 17 years, and mileages that often exceed 170,000 kilometres.
By model, the ranking is led by the SEAT Ibiza, Volkswagen Golf and SEAT León (each accounting for 3% of cars on Spanish roads), followed by the Renault Clio and Renault Mégane (2%). Some of these models, such as the Golf, reach average mileages above 200,000 kilometres.
The importance of checking the vehicle history
“In Spain, the used car market is becoming increasingly important, with nearly two used cars sold for every new vehicle. This trend is driven by the rising cost of new cars and reinforces the importance of accessing reliable information about a vehicle’s history,” says Francisco Rudilla, Head of Business Development at CARFAX.
“Vehicles may have issues that are not always visible, such as structural damage, mileage manipulation or, for example, prior use as a taxi or rental vehicle, categories generally associated with higher mileage. For this reason, having a report allows buyers to make more informed and safer decisions.”
The company also points out that, in many cases, the lack of information is not due to intentional concealment, but because sellers themselves are unaware of the vehicle’s history. Therefore, checking the condition of the vehicle before purchase is essential to improve transparency and balance in the market.