Automobile. What are the French's favorite used cars, depending on their region?

In 2024, more than 5.4 million used cars changed hands, a record in France. Behind this growth lie distinct preferences depending on the region. CapCar, the French automotive brokerage platform, provides an unprecedented overview of the French people's habits and choices when it comes to used cars.

First lesson of the study: the automatic transmission continues to progress, but at varying speeds depending on the region.

In Île-de-France, 51.1% of vehicles sold via CapCar now have automatic transmission, a choice of comfort often dictated by recurring traffic jams and urban driving.

On the other hand, the manual gearbox remains the majority in Hauts-de-France, Occitanie and Grand Est, where it represents 60% of sales.

Diesel, a territorial divide?

While in Île-de-France, diesel has become residual (less than 22% of sales), some regions continue to adopt it massively.

This is particularly the case in Hauts-de-France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Grand Est where it still represents more than 40% of sales (respectively 41.6%, 40.5% and 40.9%).

ZFE regulations, environmental concerns and alternative engine options explain this decline in urban areas.

How are electric and hybrid cars doing?

Hybrid engines represent an average of 7.5% of sales on the platform, with peaks in Provence-Alpes Côte d'Azur (10.9%) and Île-de-France (10.3%).

Despite political rhetoric and tax incentives, electric vehicles remain marginal in used car sales, accounting for no more than 4.2% of motorizations nationwide.

The only notable exception is the Pays de la Loire, where the share of electric vehicles reaches 9.2%, almost double the national average.

By comparison, its neighbor, Centre-Val-de-Loire, is the region with the least electric vehicles (2%), closely followed by Normandy (only 2.3%).

Where are cars most expensive?

Unsurprisingly, the most urban and affluent regions have the highest selling prices. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has an average used car price of €15,900, ahead of Île-de-France (~€15,700) and Pays de la Loire (~€15,700).

Conversely, regions such as Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Normandy and Grand Est are around €12,000, reflecting decisions linked to purchasing power and vehicles that are often older or simpler.

How old are the used cars sold?

In Pays de la Loire, the average age of a used car is 5.5 years, while it rises to 8 years in Île-de-France. The national average is 6.9 years.

A gap that may be surprising for the Île-de-France region and which is explained in particular by a strong presence of premium and high-end models, often better equipped, more expensive to purchase, and therefore kept longer before resale.

What are the favorite cars region by region?

Each region reveals its own preferences in terms of models: