It’s a difficult time
As we know, car sales have plummeted due to the health crisis related to Covid-19, while in 2019 they have been growing almost continuously. And this is, of course, due to sequential restrictions, but also closing of dealerships. Not to mention the fall in purchasing power since the beginning of the crisis, associated with the increase in the price of raw materials, which means a sharp increase in prices for new cars. As a result, motorists rushed to used models, the prices of which also rose sharply. Thus, since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, the French used car market has experienced a period characterized by fluctuations in results between positive and negative. This yo-yo-like volatility disrupts not only buyers, but also sellers, who struggle to set appropriate selling prices. For professionals, creating inventory according to market demand becomes a real challenge.
WARNING! Since 2015 and the appearance of Crit’Air stickers, traffic restrictions apply to some vehicles in large cities. Shall we summarize together? 🚙 #MyProjectMoreResponsible
— La Banque Postale (@LaBanquePostale) August 30, 2022
Growing numbers
Fortunately, 2024 looks set to be a better year than 2023, according to data from specialist AAA Data. The latter seems to confirm this positive trend: during January, 425,340 cars changed hands. This is an increase of 3.6%, which is in line with the results at the end of last year, but reveals significant differences between the engines. Electric vehicle sales recorded an impressive 91.6% growth during the period, but the drivetrain accounted for just 9,767 deals, or just 2.3% of the market. On the other hand, the increase in sales of hybrid cars by 50.3% is more noticeable, with 32,449 used items were sold. Against all expectations, the French preferred diesel cars with 206,234 deals. This is a very small drop of only 2.5%. This engine, however, still remains ahead of the petrol, while the latter accounted for 172,237 sales last January.
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Source: Auto Plus
Robert is an experienced journalist who has been covering the automobile industry for over a decade. He has a deep understanding of the latest technologies and trends in the industry and is known for his thorough and in-depth reporting.