New analysis of the Polish used car market – half are petrol cars, 85% of diesels are subject to risk

Transparency note: This press release was originally published in Polish. The text has been machine translated. You can find the original press release here.

The Polish used car market is entirely dominated by petrol (50%) and diesel (44%) vehicles. Hybrids and electric vehicles together account for approximately 4%. While the average age of petrol and diesel cars is the same (16 years), a huge difference is visible in the average mileage – for diesels, it is approximately a third higher. The most popular brand among petrol vehicles is Opel, and among diesels, Volkswagen. Toyota clearly dominates the hybrid sector, while Tesla is the most common electric car.

In the Polish used car market, diesel cars are the most damaged and worn-out. They are, on average, 16 years old and have 274,000 kilometers on them. Furthermore, as many as 85% are subject to various risks (such as unusual odometer readings), and 40% have a history of accidents and damage. This data comes from the latest analysis of the CARFAX database, which covers over 23 million used cars in Poland.

For comparison, the average age of gasoline cars is also 16 years, but their average mileage is 176,000 kilometers (almost ⅓ less than diesels) . Seventy-five percent of cars are at risk, and 38 percent have a history of accidents. Interestingly, as many as 70 percent of diesel vehicles are imported, while only 9 percent remain the property of the original owner. Of gasoline cars, 50 percent are imported, while 18 percent have remained the same owner since new. The percentage of used cars with both types of powertrains in the CARFAX database is similar – gasoline cars account for 50 percent, and diesels for 44 percent.

Hybrids and electric cars – younger and less risky

Hybrids are the third most popular used car in Poland (3.5% in the CARFAX database). Their average age is four years. One in three has a history of damage and accidents, and 41% are subject to risk. 13% are imported, and 8% have never changed hands. Electric cars, on the other hand, currently account for only 0.5% of used cars. They are three years old on average, have a history of risks, and 27% have accidents and damage. 22% are imported, and 8% remain in the hands of the first owner, the same as for hybrids.

The structure of the Polish automotive aftermarket differs significantly from that observed in Western Europe, and changes there are occurring noticeably faster (e.g., in the context of purely electric cars). Gasoline engines dominate the Polish market in the segment of city and compact cars, which are cheaper to purchase and operate and, in the eyes of buyers, have a lower TCO (total cost of ownership). This is consistent with the general trend in Central and Eastern Europe, where gasoline cars are considered a safe choice, says Robert Lewandowski, Business Development Manager at CARFAX Polska, a company that provides users with used car history reports from reliable and certified sources. "Diesel engines, most often imported from abroad, are still strongly present thanks to the large availability of imported vehicles, especially from Germany, Belgium, and France, where they are naturally being pushed out of the market by changes in regulations and consumer preferences, as well as a general negative attitude towards this type of drive. However, the share of hybrids and electric vehicles in our region remains low, despite growing customer interest." The reason for this is the still limited supply; these cars have only recently become more widely available on the secondary market. Trends observed in Poland show that we are also slowly moving away from old, worn-out diesel engines, and we can only hope that external conditions won't disrupt these changes.

Tesla is the most popular electric car, while Toyota is the king among hybrids

The most popular brand among petrol vehicles is Opel (10%), and among diesels, Volkswagen (16%). In the hybrid sector, Toyota dominates (44%), while the most popular electric vehicle is Tesla (18%).

The most common car models in each sector are: