Czech used-car imports rise 9.3% as secondhand EV demand accelerates
The Czech Republic imported 94,048 used passenger cars in the first seven months, up 9.3% year on year. Older affordable vehicles still dominate much of the flow, but imports are also becoming the main source of younger electric and premium cars.
Imports outpace new-car market growth
The Czech Republic imported 94,048 used passenger cars during the first seven months of the year, an increase of 9.3% from the same period a year earlier, according to statistics from the Czech Automobile Importers Association cited by Aktuálně.cz. New-car sales also increased, but at a slower rate of 4.5%, reaching just under 150,000 vehicles.
The import figures reflect the age of the Czech vehicle fleet, which is among the oldest in Europe. Imported used cars had an average age of 10.4 years, slightly below the previous year's level, while 48% were more than ten years old. Vehicles of foreign origin account for roughly three-tenths of the used cars offered on the domestic market, according to Carvago founder and chief executive Jakub Šulta.
Germany supplies most foreign vehicles
Most imported cars come from Western Europe, with Germany representing 62% of the foreign supply. Škoda Octavia leads the imported-model rankings, followed by Volkswagen Golf, Škoda Fabia, Volkswagen Passat and Škoda Superb. Carvago said domestic supply cannot fully meet Czech demand for the Octavia.
The company also recorded a 47% year-on-year increase in the market supply of the Škoda Karoq after adjusting for the influence of large sellers. Vehicles produced from 2018 to 2020 are now leaving German leasing cycles and entering the Czech market.
Carvago's broader market data show a clear price and age gap. The median foreign-origin vehicle is 9.5 years old, has travelled 146,500 kilometres and costs 295,000 Czech koruna. A domestically sourced car has median figures of 5.1 years, 77,000 kilometres and 459,000 Czech koruna. Foreign vehicles are therefore about four years older, have nearly 70,000 additional kilometres and are approximately 36% cheaper.
Used EVs form a second import market
Alongside these older, lower-priced cars, a younger and more expensive import segment is expanding. The share of electric vehicles in the domestic offer of foreign-origin cars has more than doubled year on year. Their share among domestically sourced used cars is almost three times lower, making cross-border supply particularly important for Czech EV buyers.
Cars delivered to Czech customers by Carvago since the start of the year had an average age of four years, and 65% were no more than five years old. A typical delivered vehicle had around 70,000 kilometres on the odometer and a median price of just under 600,000 Czech koruna. More than one-third were premium-brand cars.
Volkswagen ID.4 became Carvago's most ordered model in the first half of the year, the first time an electric vehicle had led its half-year ranking, replacing the diesel Škoda Octavia. Škoda Enyaq, Tesla Model 3 and Volkswagen ID.3 also entered the top ten, although the Octavia remained the most delivered model through the end of July. Petrol accounted for 38% of Carvago deliveries, electric vehicles 27%, diesel one-quarter and hybrids one-tenth. A typical EV order was four years old, had covered about 51,000 kilometres and cost just under 553,000 Czech koruna. The figures indicate that imports are serving two distinct markets: budget transport based largely on older vehicles and a growing channel for relatively young electric and premium cars unavailable in sufficient numbers domestically.