According to the results of the first half of 2022, cars from America took fourth place in the ranking of the most popular countries for buying used cars. Experts of the Institute of Car Market Research analyzed import statistics, identified the top 15 most popular models of ‘Americans’ and their value abroad.
During January-June, Ukrainians brought 29,100 used cars from America. This is 9.8% of the total number of cars imported during this period from abroad. Most (95.9%) of the cars were brought from the USA, 4% were purchased in Canada. Several pieces arrived from Mexico. Ukrainians bought most of the ‘Americans’ at insurance auctions after road accidents.
The number and share of cars from America significantly decreased with the beginning of a full-scale war. After the seaports were temporarily blocked, delivery became more difficult and more expensive. This made buying a used car from America less profitable. Most of the cars that were imported during March-June were purchased even before the beginning of the invasion.
Dynamics of imports of used passenger cars from American countries, January-June 2022
Ukrainians chose cars from America because of their lower price compared to their European counterparts. Also, often better configurations and lower mileage. It was most profitable to bring cars up to 5-7 years old with low mileage and minor damage. A significant advantage was the ability to check the history of the car online.
Among the disadvantages of the ‘Americans’, we can single out the risks of buying ‘blindly’ – without the possibility of a physical inspection. And also — a long delivery time, too significant damage and not always high-quality repairs. We should not forget about the difference in some standards, including lighting equipment (so-called ‘red turn signals’).
In OLX Auto, you can choose your future car not only by brand, model or engine type, but also by country of origin. OLX Ukraine is part of the large multinational holding Naspers|Prosus. These are the largest private and business classifieds sites in their respective countries. The Ukrainian site is already 15 years old.
The price of cars from America
The analysis is based on the statistics of the State Customs Service, which shows the customs value specified in the declarations during registration of these machines. It consists of the final price of the car at the auction, and all other payments and fees that must be made before crossing the border. Including payment of delivery and insurance.
The price structure of used cars from America is significantly different from European cars. So, in the first half of 2022, the majority of used cars from America (72.9%) cost from $2 to $7 thousand. Cars with a value of $3,000 to $4,000 were mostly imported from America. These were 16.9% of the total number (4.9 thousand pieces). The average price of a car from America in the first half of 2022 was $6,673. This is twice as much as the average price of a car from the European Union.
Price structure of used cars exported from America to Ukraine during January-June 2022
This situation looks logical: it is simply unprofitable to transport cheap cars because of expensive delivery. Therefore, in the top 15 most popular models, the average cost of just one car is less than $3 thousand. The final price of most ‘Americans’ in Ukraine goes beyond the ‘mass market’, that is, it exceeds 8 thousand dollars.
What models of cars were brought from America
Used cars that come from American countries are not necessarily manufactured there. Some of the models are made in the European Union countries, and some are made in Japan and South Korea. However, most models, even with the same names on the American and European markets, do not compete with each other after arriving in Ukraine. Often these are quite different cars – with excellent technical characteristics, equipment and condition. In general, the ‘Americans’ segment is a separate, rather autonomous part of the used car market in Ukraine.
The most popular car from America in the first half of 2022 was the Nissan Rogue crossover (1.4 thousand units, average price $5,584). Volkswagen Jetta took second place. Ukrainians bought 1,000 of these, with an average cost of $3,515. And only in third place was the American brand Ford Fusion (936 units, $3,904). In total, only 6 out of 15 were ‘pure-blooded Americans’ in the list.
