A post-pandemic period has brought a rare glow to the second-hand vehicle market, yet commercial activity in this sector is gradually returning to typical rhythms. In Alicante, sales of used cars rose by just 1.4% last year, compared with a 5.7% rise the year before. The softer momentum largely mirrors the rebound in new car production, which helped revive activity across the entire market.
The health crisis disrupted distribution chains and hammered the automotive industry. A persistent chip shortage paused many factories, triggering a steep drop in new-car sales for three consecutive years after the outbreak. The shift helped the used-car segment by creating a backlog of demand among drivers who needed to renew vehicles while dealers faced supply shortages. As supply constraints eased, buyers increasingly looked to second-hand options to keep driving, pontually filling the gap left by new-vehicle delays.
Recent public updates indicate a shift toward normality in production and distribution. Vehicle registrations in the province rose by 22.5%, reaching 39,064 transactions. While these figures lag behind pre-pandemic levels, they mark a clear directional improvement and a return to more typical activity levels.
The recovery in sales touched the second-hand market as well. Growth continued, but it did not sustain the vigor seen in earlier years. According to industry organizations Faconauto and Ganvam, a total of 95,796 second-hand operations were completed in the province in the previous year, a 1.4% increase. This is a far cry from last year’s 5.7% growth, though it signifies ongoing recovery and resilience in the market.
The provincial trend was mirrored by broader national performance. Sales in the region lagged behind the national pace, which saw 1,950,488 new and used-vehicle operations nationwide. In the Valencian Community as a whole, sales dipped slightly by 0.3%, totaling 217,898 transactions. These figures illustrate a mixed recovery, with the second-hand market showing gentle uplift alongside slow gains in overall vehicle activity.
Looking at age brackets, the market data from the national analysis shows that roughly one in four used vehicles sold in 2023 was between zero and five years old. A 5.5% year-over-year increase followed as supply chains stabilized and stock levels improved. On the other end of the spectrum, older vehicles aged 10 to 15 years posted a notable decline of 16.5% compared to 2022, underscoring a shift in consumer preference toward newer models or better-maintained older units.
Despite this older-vehicle decline, the average age of used cars sold in 2023 stood at 11.1 years. Industry bodies note this signals an urgent need for renewed fleet strategies. Potential measures include incentive programs to encourage the sale of vehicles up to five years old, helping dealers refresh inventories and giving buyers access to safer, more reliable options. The trend suggests that targeted renewal incentives could play a crucial role in sustaining market momentum and aligning supply with ongoing demand from both private buyers and commercial fleets, a topic warranting close attention for policy makers and industry players alike.