Fixed values
Where 2020 and 2021 were golden years for the used car market, it had to deal with quite a few setbacks in 2022. Sales of used cars fell, while the average price of a used car rose to a record high. Which occasions are popular, however, hardly changed. This is evident from this list of the models that were most sought after in the AutoWeek used range in 2022. It shows many similarities with that of last year – and that of the year before.
The price of the average used car in the Netherlands reached a new record high in November: €24,772. Delivery times for new cars are long, which has increased the demand for second-hand cars and their prices throughout Europe. Add to that the fact that quite a few Dutch people will have to pay more attention to their expenses this year, and it is no surprise that the used car market is not as large as in 2020 and 2021. In those years, demand was also fueled by an increased need for autonomous transport as as a result of the corona measures. Although they are no longer there and part of the demand is therefore lost, prices remain high – largely as a result of inflation.
Whether that is also reflected in the type of occasion that we are all looking for? That’s not too bad. Despite the increased prices, the Volkswagen Golf is still the most sought after used car in the country. Second place is for the BMW 3-series and third place for the Mercedes-Benz C-class. This means that the top 3 looks the same as in 2021 and 2020. The rest of the top 10 can be found further down.
The number four on the list, this year’s Ford Focus, was found in a lower position in previous years. At that time, the BMW 5-series occupied fourth place twice, but – perhaps as a result of cost increases – it is less popular this year and is in sixth place. B-segmenters Yaris, Polo and Fiesta also belong to the top 10, which is further completed by crossovers Toyota RAV4 and Renault Captur.
The Renault Captur entered the list of the top 10 most wanted used cars in 2022.
No electric car in the top 10, including fewer premium models
What is striking is that the electric car is not represented in this. In 2020, the Tesla Model 3 found ninth place and last year the XC40, which has also been available as an EV since that year, held seventh position. We also see relatively few premium models. As mentioned, the 5-series is lower than in previous years, in which cars such as the Audi A3 and Mercedes E-class were also popular.
This year those two make way for the Toyota RAV4 and Renault Captur; cars with a more solid, more value-for-money character and a higher entry. This may have something to do with the aging trend in the Netherlands – we are therefore curious to see how the list will develop in the coming years in view of this. Which cars do you expect to be popular on the used car market next year? Let me know in the comments.
| Position | Make and model |
| 1 | Volkswagen Golf |
| 2 | BMW 3 Series |
| 3 | Mercedes Benz C class |
| 4 | Ford Focus |
| 5 | Toyota Yaris |
| 6 | BMW 5 Series |
| 7 | Volkswagen Polo |
| 8 | Toyota RAV4 |
| 9 | Ford Fiesta |
| 10 | Renault Captur |
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl