Used Car Prices in mid-2022: How Popular Models Traded Value and Demand
By the middle of 2022, the overall price level for used cars began to ease. Analysis shows that between April and June, the average price across the market decreased by about 4.5 percent when compared with the first quarter of the year. This shift reflects broader market corrections after a period of heightened pricing, influenced by supply dynamics, seasonality, and ongoing consumer demand for affordable transport options.
Avito Auto conducted a focused review of the most sought-after units on its platform. The study concentrated on vehicles under five years old that were present in Avito Auto’s listings in July 2022. The results produced a prioritized list of models that had retreated to price levels seen at the start of the year, highlighting where affordability and access to newer vehicles aligned with buyer interest. This pattern illustrates how quick price movements can accompany changes in demand, even for relatively fresh used cars.
Among the standouts, the Skoda Octavia showed an average price of 1,521,800 rubles in July 2022, down by 1.2 percent from January. Yet, interest in this model remained strong, with demand for Octavia units under five years old rising 16.3 percent in July relative to January. This juxtaposition suggests that buyers were still attracted to the Octavia’s blend of reliability and value, even as prices cooled. Different buyers were weighing the shorter ownership horizon against the total cost of ownership, leading to a healthy balance of price and demand in the market segment.
Similarly, the Ford Focus experienced a marginal price decrease of roughly 0.9 percent from January 2022 to July, with the July average landing at 1,020,000 rubles. Despite the price dip, consumer appetite for Focus models increased by 22.3 percent in July compared to January, underscoring a robust demand for practical, compact cars that offer good fuel efficiency, a satisfying driving experience, and a track record of dependable performance in the used market.
In the foreign-brand portion of the market, Kia Rio X Line stood out as a model that returned to early-year price levels, while simultaneously enjoying a notable rise in popularity. July demand for the Rio X Line was 35.3 percent higher than in January, indicating that the model’s value proposition—combining compact dimensions with modern features—appealed to a broad segment of buyers. The average price for a Kia Rio X Line in July was 1,250,000 rubles, aligning with expectations for a relatively young vehicle in this category and reflecting the model’s growing acceptance in the used-car market.
The list of popular models that also returned to January price levels includes the Hyundai Solaris at 1,159,000 rubles and the Kia Optima at 1,750,000 rubles. These data points emphasize the market’s tendency to normalize after spikes, with certain well-known models reverting to earlier price benchmarks yet maintaining strong appeal among buyers who value a solid balance of features, reliability, and resale potential. Analysts highlight that price normalizations accompany shifts in consumer sentiment as buyers reassess what constitutes a fair purchase given current financing conditions and total ownership costs.
Overall, the July 2022 snapshot from Avito Auto suggests a market calibrating toward more stable price points while still rewarding models that demonstrate a favorable mix of reliability, lower maintenance costs, and appealing depreciation patterns. For buyers, this period offered an opportunity to evaluate options with an eye toward longer-term value, while sellers faced the reality that price adjustments could coincide with surging demand for certain configurations and brands. The observed trends illustrate how price trajectories and buyer behavior can diverge, especially for models with newer design features or proven reliability records in the used-car segment.