Second-Hand Car Market Heats Up: Prices Top ₺1 Million

The Turkish second-hand automobile market is showing signs of strong demand, with prices climbing and cars selling faster than in previous months. According to the September issue of the “Otomobil Piyasası Görünümü” report, prepared by Bahçeşehir University’s Center for Economic and Social Research (BETAM) in cooperation with sahibinden.com, August 2025 data reveals a shifting balance in supply, demand, and pricing.

Prices Rise, Sales Times Shorten

The report shows that the average car price in August reached ₺1,022,000, marking a 3.2% monthly increase and an 18.2% annual rise. At the same time, the average time for a listing to close dropped sharply, falling from over 23 days in July to just 19.8 days.

This “kapatılan ilan yaşı” metric, often viewed as a barometer of market activity, indicates that sellers are able to find buyers far more quickly, highlighting the resilient appetite for vehicles even as prices climb.

Demand Index Shows Double-Digit Growth

The car demand index, based on sahibinden.com data, recorded a 0.7% increase month-on-month and a striking 11.4% increase year-on-year. This reflects both the continued reliance on cars as a necessity in Turkey and a growing perception of automobiles as a hedge against inflation, despite weakening real prices.

Real Prices Show Stabilization

While nominal car prices are rising, real (inflation-adjusted) prices tell a different story. Compared with August 2024, real car prices were down 11.1%, reflecting an ongoing normalization trend.

Back in May 2023, real car prices had collapsed by 47.9% year-on-year, but since then the pace of decline has slowed considerably. This suggests that although cars no longer guarantee inflation-proof investment returns, the market has stabilized, offering a more predictable pricing environment.

Fuel Type Price Breakdown

The August data highlights significant differences in pricing based on fuel types:

• Gasoline cars: ₺1,273,000 (annual increase 19.2%)

• Diesel cars: ₺1,015,000

• Gasoline & LPG: ₺538,302

• Hybrid cars: ₺2,354,000

• Electric cars: ₺3,642,000

Across all categories, prices rose compared with the previous year. The fastest annual growth came from gasoline-powered vehicles, underlining their enduring popularity despite the global rise of hybrids and electrics.

By Vehicle Segment: C-Class Leads Growth

Segment-based pricing reveals that C-segment cars, traditionally the most popular among Turkish households, saw the strongest annual price increase at 20.2%.

Average prices by segment were:

• B-segment: ₺666,504

• C-segment: ₺898,315

• D-segment: ₺1,294,000

• E-segment: ₺2,128,000

By Vehicle Age: Newer Models See Biggest Jumps

Breaking down by model years:

• Older models (2004–2018):

  • 2004–2008 models averaged ₺457,848 (up 2.5% annually)

  • 2009–2013 models averaged ₺740,078 (up 10.5%)

  • 2014–2018 models averaged ₺1,164,000 (up 15.8%)

• Newer models (2019–2024):

  • The highest annual price growth was among 2019 models, up 18.5%.

  • 2024 models, the newest eligible for resale under the “6 months & 6,000 km” rule, averaged ₺2,057,000, up 3.3% from July.

These figures highlight that demand for younger cars remains robust, especially as consumers weigh the high costs of brand-new vehicles against slightly used alternatives.

Supply Shrinks, Demand Stays Firm

Despite strong buyer interest, the number of cars listed for sale declined:

• Active listings dropped 4.2% month-on-month, from 988,497 to 947,434.

• Cars sold also decreased 6.6%, from 252,132 to 235,479.

As a result, the ratio of cars sold to cars listed fell by 0.7 points to 24.9%. Still, the rapid reduction in listing times indicates that buyers are competing strongly for available vehicles, ensuring quick turnover.

Market Outlook: Demand Resilient, Prices Stabilizing

The BETAM–sahibinden.com report suggests a dynamic but tightening market. Buyers continue to show strong demand, pushing up nominal prices and shortening selling times. However, the reality of declining real prices points to a market that is stabilizing under the weight of macroeconomic conditions.

With supply falling even as demand remains resilient, analysts expect competition among buyers to stay high in the coming months, especially for newer model vehicles and mid-range segments like C-class.