Quick answer
According to WHEELSTREET data — see below for detailed analysis with real prices, comparisons, and expert recommendations.
The Market in Numbers: 2026 Q1
Lithuania remains one of the most active used car markets in Europe. In 2025, approximately 290,000 used cars were registered in Lithuania — about 3% more than in 2024. The start of 2026 shows steady growth: approximately 52,000 used cars were registered in the first 2 months.
| Year | Used registrations | Change | New registrations | Used/New ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (forecast) | ~300,000 | +3-4% | ~32,000 | 9:1 |
| 2025 | ~290,000 | +3% | ~30,500 | 9.5:1 |
| 2024 | ~282,000 | +5% | ~28,000 | 10:1 |
| 2023 | ~268,000 | -2% | ~25,000 | 10.7:1 |
| 2022 | ~274,000 | +8% | ~22,000 | 12.5:1 |
Key figure: In Lithuania, for every new car, there are about 9–10 used ones. The EU average is about 3:1. This shows that Lithuania is strongly oriented towards the used car market.
Total Vehicle Fleet
At the beginning of 2026, Lithuania had approximately 1.55 million registered passenger cars — roughly one car for every 1.8 residents.
| Parameter | 2026 Q1 | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total passenger cars | ~1,550,000 | ~1,520,000 | ~1,480,000 |
| Average age | 14.2 years | 14.5 years | 14.8 years |
| Diesel share | ~57% | ~59% | ~61% |
| Petrol share | ~35% | ~34% | ~33% |
| Electric/hybrid share | ~5.5% | ~4.5% | ~3.5% |
| LPG share | ~2.5% | ~2.5% | ~2.5% |
The vehicle fleet is gradually getting younger — the average age has decreased from 16.5 years (2019) to 14.2 years (2026). This is a positive trend, but still well above the EU average (~11 years).
TOP 10 Most Popular Brands 2025–2026
The ranking of the most popular used car brands in Lithuania has remained stable for several years — Volkswagen and Toyota dominate the top:
| Rank | Brand | 2025 registrations | Market share | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | ~38,000 | 13.1% | +2% |
| 2 | Toyota | ~28,000 | 9.7% | +6% |
| 3 | BMW | ~24,000 | 8.3% | +1% |
| 4 | Audi | ~21,000 | 7.2% | +3% |
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz | ~19,000 | 6.6% | +2% |
| 6 | Škoda | ~16,000 | 5.5% | +8% |
| 7 | Ford | ~14,500 | 5.0% | -3% |
| 8 | Opel | ~13,000 | 4.5% | -5% |
| 9 | Renault | ~11,500 | 4.0% | -2% |
| 10 | Hyundai | ~10,500 | 3.6% | +12% |
Trends:
- Toyota growth +6% — reliability reputation and hybrid popularity are pushing sales up
- Hyundai surge +12% — Tucson and i30 are becoming increasingly popular, good price-quality ratio
- Škoda +8% — Octavia and Karoq are conquering the family segment
- Ford and Opel declining — ageing models, fewer imports from Western Europe
Read more about the most popular models in our most popular cars in Lithuania overview.
Most Popular Models 2025–2026
| Rank | Model | 2025 registrations | Average price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VW Golf | ~9,500 | 12,000–18,000 EUR |
| 2 | VW Passat | ~7,800 | 14,000–22,000 EUR |
| 3 | Toyota RAV4 | ~6,200 | 18,000–28,000 EUR |
| 4 | BMW 3 Series | ~5,800 | 15,000–25,000 EUR |
| 5 | Škoda Octavia | ~5,500 | 12,000–20,000 EUR |
| 6 | Audi A4 | ~5,200 | 14,000–24,000 EUR |
| 7 | Toyota Corolla | ~4,800 | 14,000–22,000 EUR |
| 8 | VW Tiguan | ~4,500 | 16,000–26,000 EUR |
| 9 | Mercedes C-Class | ~4,200 | 16,000–28,000 EUR |
| 10 | Hyundai Tucson | ~3,900 | 16,000–24,000 EUR |
The VW Golf has been the #1 used car in Lithuania for a decade — its versatility, parts availability, and wide selection make it unbeatable.
SUV segment growth is clearly visible — RAV4, Tiguan, and Tucson are all in the TOP 10. Five years ago, there was only 1 SUV in the TOP 10. Read more about SUV choices in our best SUV guide.
Price Changes 2024–2026
Used car prices in Lithuania are gradually stabilising after the 2022–2023 peak, but remain higher than before the pandemic:
| Segment | 2024 avg. price | 2025 avg. price | 2026 Q1 avg. price | Change 2024→2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini / city (A/B) | 6,500 EUR | 6,200 EUR | 6,000 EUR | -7.7% |
| Compact (C) | 14,000 EUR | 13,500 EUR | 13,200 EUR | -5.7% |
| Mid-size (D) | 19,500 EUR | 19,000 EUR | 18,800 EUR | -3.6% |
| Compact SUV | 18,000 EUR | 17,800 EUR | 17,500 EUR | -2.8% |
| Mid-size SUV | 24,000 EUR | 24,500 EUR | 24,800 EUR | +3.3% |
| Premium | 28,000 EUR | 29,500 EUR | 30,000 EUR | +7.1% |
| Electric cars | 22,000 EUR | 19,000 EUR | 17,500 EUR | -20.5% |
Key price trends:
- Small car prices are falling — supply is increasing as people switch to SUVs
- Mid-size SUV prices are rising — Toyota RAV4, VW Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson demand exceeds supply
- Premium segment is getting more expensive — BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, Audi Q5 are increasingly hard to find at a good price
- Electric car prices dropped 20%+ over 2 years — Tesla Model 3, VW ID.3, Hyundai Ioniq 5 prices are falling the fastest
More about car trends 2025–2026.
Import Statistics
Lithuania imports the most used cars from Germany — this has been unchanged for decades. However, the import structure is changing:
| Country | 2025 imports | Share | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | ~105,000 | 48% | +1% |
| Poland | ~22,000 | 10% | +5% |
| France | ~18,000 | 8% | +3% |
| Belgium | ~15,000 | 7% | -2% |
| Netherlands | ~13,000 | 6% | +4% |
| Sweden | ~11,000 | 5% | +8% |
| Italy | ~9,000 | 4% | +2% |
| Other countries | ~27,000 | 12% | +3% |
| Total imports | ~220,000 | 100% | +2% |
Import trends in 2026:
- Germany dominates — almost half of all imports. German car advantages: good maintenance, service history, Autobahn quality
- Sweden +8% — more Volvos being imported, especially XC60 and XC90
- Poland +5% — growing transit channel (cars from the West via Poland)
- Belgium -2% — declining due to stricter export regulations
Read more about buying cars from Germany in our importing from Germany guide.
Fuel Type Changes
One of the most striking trends is the beginning of the end of the diesel era and the growth of electric and hybrid cars:
| Fuel type | 2022 new reg. | 2023 new reg. | 2024 new reg. | 2025 new reg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 62% | 58% | 54% | 49% |
| Petrol | 25% | 27% | 28% | 29% |
| Hybrid (HEV) | 6% | 8% | 10% | 12% |
| Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) | 3% | 3% | 3.5% | 4% |
| Electric (BEV) | 2.5% | 3% | 3.5% | 4.5% |
| LPG/CNG | 1.5% | 1% | 1% | 1.5% |
2025 was the first year diesel registrations dropped below 50% in the used car segment. This is a historic moment in Lithuania's car market, even though diesels still dominate the overall fleet in absolute numbers (~57%).
Hybrids and electric cars together now account for about 20% of new registrations — three years ago, it was only 11%. The fastest growing are Toyota hybrids (RAV4, Corolla, Yaris) and used Tesla Model 3s.
Read more: Hybrids vs electric cars in Lithuania 2025 and Is it worth buying an electric car?
Average Mileage and Age at Registration
| Parameter | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average age at import | 10.8 years | 10.2 years | 9.8 years |
| Average mileage at import | 168,000 km | 162,000 km | 155,000 km |
| Cars with >200,000 km share | 32% | 29% | 26% |
| Cars with <100,000 km share | 18% | 21% | 24% |
The trend is positive — the age and mileage of imported cars are decreasing every year. More and more Lithuanians are choosing younger cars with lower mileage, even though they cost more.
Odometer fraud problem: according to independent research data, about 25–30% of imported used cars may have tampered mileage. This is still a serious problem, although the situation is improving thanks to digital service books and VIN check services.
How to protect yourself? Read our odometer fraud detection guide and VIN check guide.
Regional Differences
The car market in Lithuania is not uniform — major cities and regions differ:
| Region | Avg. car price | Most popular brand | EV share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vilnius | 16,800 EUR | BMW | 7.2% |
| Kaunas | 14,200 EUR | Volkswagen | 4.8% |
| Klaipėda | 13,800 EUR | Volkswagen | 4.5% |
| Šiauliai | 11,500 EUR | Volkswagen | 2.8% |
| Panevėžys | 11,200 EUR | Volkswagen | 2.5% |
| Alytus | 10,500 EUR | Toyota | 2.2% |
The Vilnius effect: in the capital, the average car price is 20–60% higher than in the regions. Vilnius also leads in EV share (7.2%) — this is where most charging infrastructure and higher-income residents are concentrated. BMW's popularity in Vilnius reflects the strength of the premium segment in the capital.
Electric Car Market Growth
Electric cars in Lithuania are growing the fastest — although the base is small, the percentage growth is impressive:
| Year | EV registrations (new+used) | Total EVs in Lithuania | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ~3,500 | ~12,000 | +65% |
| 2023 | ~4,800 | ~16,000 | +33% |
| 2024 | ~6,500 | ~22,000 | +38% |
| 2025 | ~9,000 | ~30,000 | +36% |
| 2026 (forecast) | ~12,000 | ~40,000 | +33% |
TOP 5 most popular electric cars in Lithuania 2025:
| Rank | Model | Registrations | Avg. price (used) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model 3 | ~2,400 | 22,000–32,000 EUR |
| 2 | VW ID.3 | ~1,100 | 18,000–25,000 EUR |
| 3 | VW ID.4 | ~850 | 24,000–32,000 EUR |
| 4 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | ~700 | 26,000–35,000 EUR |
| 5 | BMW iX1/iX3 | ~550 | 28,000–40,000 EUR |
Used electric car prices are falling the fastest in the entire market — Tesla Model 3 has dropped ~25% over 2 years, VW ID.3 — ~20%. This is making electric cars increasingly attractive for used car buyers.
Forecasts for 2026
Based on first-quarter data and market trends, the key forecasts are:
1. Used car registrations will reach ~300,000 — modest 3–4% growth, driven by economic growth and falling interest rates.
2. Average prices will drop 2–4% — more supply from Western Europe, especially diesel cars being replaced by EVs there.
3. SUV share will grow to 30%+ — compact and mid-size SUVs continue to push sedans and estates out of the market.
4. EV share will reach 6–7% of new registrations — falling prices and growing infrastructure are driving the transition.
5. Diesel share will fall below 45% of new registrations — Europe is tightening emission standards, fewer diesel cars are being produced.
6. Imports from Scandinavia will grow — Sweden and Norway are massively switching to EVs, used Volvos and other Scandinavian cars will flow into Lithuania.
What Does This Mean for Buyers?
If you're planning to buy a used car in 2026, here's what the statistics show:
- Best time to buy a diesel — prices are falling, supply is large, but in the long term, diesel values will decrease even further
- SUVs will cost more — popular models (RAV4, Tucson, Tiguan) won't get cheaper because demand exceeds supply
- Electric cars are an increasingly good deal — prices are falling 15–20% per year while the models improve
- Check the history — a third of imported cars may have tampered mileage. Use a VIN check
- Leasing is cheaper — ECB rate cuts mean lower leasing payments in 2026
Verdict
Lithuania's used car market in 2026 is large, active, and changing. The main trends are clear: SUV popularity is growing, diesels are slowly retreating, electric cars are accelerating, and prices are gradually stabilising.
The most important advice — regardless of what you're buying, always check the car's history and technical condition. On our platform, every car is inspected — browse WHEELSTREET listings or use our technical inspection service.