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Used car prices in Croatia rise 13%, demand strong for 7–10 year old cars

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ZAGREB, 24 March 2026 – Croatia’s used car market remained highly active throughout 2025, with prices rising significantly and buyers continuing to favour reliable, mid-age vehicles offering strong value for money.

According to data from leading Croatian classifieds platform Njuškalo, the average asking price for used cars reached €22,800 in 2025, marking a 13% increase compared with 2024, or around €2,700 more per vehicle.

Despite this rise, the vehicles attracting the greatest buyer interest were typically priced lower, with an average asking price of around €18,000, highlighting continued demand for more affordable options.

Buyers favour mid-age vehicles

Cars aged between seven and ten years proved to be the most popular among buyers. These vehicles typically have 125,000 to 130,000 kilometres on the clock, offering what many buyers see as the best balance between price, reliability and remaining lifespan.

At the same time, the overall supply of vehicles has become slightly younger. In 2025, the average age of cars listed on Njuškalo dropped to 10 years, compared with 11 years in 2024.

However, experts say the shift is gradual and unlikely to dramatically reduce the overall age of Croatia’s vehicle fleet in the short term.

Volkswagen once again emerged as the most sought-after car brand among Croatian buyers. It was followed by BMW, Mercedes and Audi, reflecting the continued popularity of established European manufacturers.

A similar pattern appears on the supply side, with Volkswagen also the most commonly advertised brand, ahead of BMW, Audi and Renault.

Among the most viewed listings, several familiar models lead the rankings, including:

• Volkswagen Golf 7

• Renault Clio

• BMW 3 Series

• Nissan Qashqai

• Škoda Octavia

• Audi A3

• Mercedes C-Class

Interest in SUVs continues to grow, with Nissan Qashqai searches increasing by around 30%, while interest in the Volkswagen Tiguan rose by more than 40%.

SUVs, petrol engines and automatics gaining ground

The structure of the market is also gradually changing in terms of fuel type and equipment.

Petrol-powered vehicles increased their share of listings from 29% in 2024 to 35% in 2025, while diesel vehicles remain dominant, rising slightly from 59% to 61% of listings.

Hybrid vehicles also recorded modest growth, increasing by one percentage point, signalling a slow but steady expansion of electrified options in the used car market.

Meanwhile, automatic transmissions are becoming more common, with their share rising by four percentage points compared with the previous year.

Premium and electric models appearing more often

Njuškalo also recorded a growing number of listings for premium and performance vehicles, including BMW M-line models, BMW M3 and M5, as well as electric vehicles such as Tesla and the Audi Q4 e-tron.

While these models still represent a smaller segment of the overall market, their increasing presence suggests rising interest in higher-end and electric vehicles.

Buyers remain focused on value

According to Dražen Mijoč, Director of the Auto Moto Nautika vertical at Njuškalo, Croatian buyers remain highly pragmatic when purchasing vehicles.

“Buyers continue to prioritise proven models of medium age, but their interest is gradually shifting towards slightly newer vehicles. The average age of cars being sold has dropped from 11 to 10 years, which shows some movement, but not a strong enough trend to significantly rejuvenate Croatia’s overall vehicle fleet,” Mijoč said.

He added that buyers in Croatia typically focus on overall value for money, considering factors such as equipment level, brand, transmission type and engine type rather than simply the age of the vehicle.

Drazen Mijoc

Dražen Mijoč

From budget options to luxury supercars

At the top end of the market, the most expensive used cars listed included the Lamborghini Revuelto, Rolls-Royce Ghost and Ferrari 812 Superfast.

At the opposite end of the scale, some of the most affordable listings included the Citroën C2, Renault Megane Classic and Opel Vectra.

Overall, the latest figures confirm that Croatia’s used car market remains firmly centred on trusted brands, practical models and value-conscious buyers, even as interest slowly expands towards SUVs, automatics and electrified vehicles.

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