Türkiye’s used car market makes strong start to 2026

ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s used car market entered 2026 with momentum, recording a 5.54 percent increase in January compared to the same month last year, with sales surpassing 582,000 units.

Although activity slowed from the record-breaking December 2025, the market still achieved the third-highest January performance in the past decade, signaling resilience and stability for the year ahead.

Traditionally, the automotive sector in Türkiye begins the year at a slower pace, but recent trends have reversed that pattern. New car sales grew 9.14 percent in January, reaching 61,000 units, and the used car market followed suit with strong demand. Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) shows that January 2026 marked the best performance in three years for second-hand car sales. Compared to November 2025, sales fell only 4.4 percent, remaining close to the 580,000-unit level.

Including automobiles, motorcycles, light commercial, and heavy commercial vehicles, the overall second-hand market grew 1.79 percent year-on-year in January, totaling 827,673 units.

Cardata General Manager Hüsamettin Yalçın explained that the surge in new car sales boosted trade-ins, bringing fresh stock into the used market. He said that price stabilization in late 2025 ended the “wait-and-see” attitude among buyers, reviving postponed demand. Yalçın stressed that the market is no longer speculative but progressing on a more rational basis.

He added that partial improvements in financing, reduced regulatory uncertainty, and consumers’ focus on value-for-money choices have all contributed to the strong start in 2026. According to Yalçın, the momentum is driven by healthy demand and balanced pricing rather than panic buying, which points to a stable outlook for the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, a report by second-hand platform Sahibinden.com revealed that although nominal prices continued to rise, inflation-adjusted figures showed a decline. The real price index fell 1.1 percent from December to 142.7 in January, marking a 5.9 percent annual drop. Average car prices increased from 1.11 million Turkish Liras ($25,278) in December to 1.15 million liras in January, representing a 22.9 percent rise compared to the same month last year.