Japan's used car market expands to record 5.3 trillion yen in 2025
Baku, May 6, AZERTAC
Japan's used car market hit a record high in 2025, surging 54.8 percent from five years earlier to 5.32 trillion yen ($34 billion), as consumer resistance to secondhand goods waned and rising raw material costs pushed up prices for new vehicles, according to a recent survey by an automobile think tank.
The average price of a used vehicle purchased during the previous year also hit a record high of 1.75 million yen, up 397,000 yen from 2020, the research institute affiliated with staffing service group Recruit Holdings Co. Found, Kyodo reported.
The average price of a new vehicle stood at 3.50 million yen.
"There are more people opting for pre-owned vehicles that are relatively new due to the increasingly widespread use of flea market apps," said the institute's Yoshiko Yokota.
Nearly 40 percent of automobiles purchased in the past year were used cars, according to the survey.
Prices of secondhand vehicles were being pushed up by strong demand for SUVs and hybrid vehicles, with SUVs costing an average 2.92 million yen, up 25.6 percent from 2020.
"The size of the market will likely continue to expand," she said, adding there was a growing popularity for cheaper and older minivehicles amid prolonged inflation.
A total of 10,268 people across Japan were surveyed in August 2025.
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