Estonia’s used car market continued strong growth in April, with 7,990 passenger cars changing owners.
In April, 7,990 passenger cars changed owners in Estonia. Compared to March, the number of transactions increased by 264. An even bigger change can be seen in the year-on-year comparison. Compared to April 2025, the number of used passenger car ownership transfers grew by more than 45%. The recovery of the market has been visible for several months already, and the April results confirm this trend. Buyers have become more active and the market is on the rise.
Estonian buyers continue to look for cars that offer a good balance between price, equipment and running costs. While older premium-class models continue to dominate the overall market TOP list, newer vehicles increasingly favor practical and economical family cars and SUVs.
TOP 10 car brands in April 2026
- BMW – 1,070
- Volkswagen – 877
- Toyota – 721
- Škoda – 646
- Audi – 566
- Mercedes-Benz – 522
- Volvo – 481
- Ford – 304
- Peugeot – 290
- Kia – 285
BMW remains the leader of Estonia’s used car market. In April, a total of 1,070 BMW passenger cars changed owners, which was 100 more transactions than in March. BMW’s strong leadership position is nothing new in Estonia’s used car market, but the April results once again clearly highlight the brand’s continuing popularity. More than one thousand ownership transfers in a single month means that nearly every seventh used passenger car transaction involved a BMW. Volkswagen ranked second with 877 transactions, followed by Toyota in third place with 721 transactions.
The strong positions of Volkswagen and Toyota show that lower running costs, reliability and fuel efficiency are becoming increasingly important for buyers.
Most popular used car models
- BMW 3 Series – 349
- BMW 5 Series – 335
- Volkswagen Passat – 302
- Škoda Octavia – 249
- Audi A6 – 186
- Toyota Corolla – 161
- Volkswagen Golf – 153
- Audi A4 – 147
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class – 122
- BMW X5 – 119
The model ranking provides a very good overview of Estonia’s used car market. The list includes premium sedans, station wagons, family cars and SUVs.
In April, the close competition between the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series continued. This time, the BMW 3 Series took first place with 349 transactions, while the BMW 5 Series followed closely with 335. Volkswagen Passat ranked third with 302 ownership transfers.
Toyota and Škoda dominate among cars up to 10 years old
TOP 10 brands among cars up to 10 years old
- Toyota – 455
- Škoda – 431
- Volkswagen – 283
- BMW – 270
- Kia – 199
- Peugeot – 162
- Mercedes-Benz – 162
- Volvo – 144
- Audi – 122
- Renault – 92
While older premium cars dominate the overall market, the ranking for vehicles up to 10 years old (first registered between 2016–2026) shows a clearly different trend.
In this segment, Toyota became the leader in April with 455 ownership transfers. Škoda, which led previous months, ranked second with 431 transactions, followed by Volkswagen with 283.
TOP 10 used cars up to 10 years old
- Škoda Octavia – 153
- Toyota Corolla – 135
- Toyota RAV4 – 100
- Škoda Superb – 75
- Volkswagen Passat – 74
- Škoda Kodiaq – 70
- Kia Sportage – 69
- Toyota C-HR – 62
- BMW 3 Series – 60
- BMW 5 Series – 52
This ranking reflects how buyer preferences have changed. While diesel station wagons previously dominated newer used cars, the market is now increasingly moving toward hybrids, economical petrol cars and SUVs.
Toyota’s strong position is especially noticeable.
The TOP 10 includes:
- Toyota Corolla
- Toyota RAV4
- Toyota C-HR
This shows that Estonian buyers increasingly value reliability, low fuel consumption, lower maintenance costs and strong value retention.
2021 model-year cars are actively entering the used car market
By production year, 2021 vehicles changed owners the most in April. This indicates that many cars finishing their leasing periods are now actively entering the used car market.
Such vehicles are attractive to buyers because mileage is still relatively low, safety equipment is modern, technology meets current expectations, and monthly payments are significantly lower compared to a new car.
For many buyers, a 4–5-year-old car currently offers the best balance between price and quality.
The oldest car sold in April dated back to 1950
The oldest passenger car that changed owners in April was a 1950 BMW 340. It was a luxury German sedan produced in East Germany at the Eisenach factory between 1949 and 1955.
In the 1950s, it was considered a prestigious vehicle in East Germany and was often used by government institutions and police. Around 21,000 units were produced in total.
Used car imports to Estonia
In April, a total of 1,614 used passenger cars were imported into Estonia from abroad.
Most vehicles came from Germany, with 589 cars imported. Finland ranked second with 216 cars, followed by Lithuania with 117.
The average age of imported used cars was eight years, indicating that buyers prefer relatively newer used vehicles.
The most popular imported brands were BMW, Volvo and Mercedes. The most imported models were the Volvo XC60, Volkswagen Passat and Volvo V70.
Diesel vehicles dominated by fuel type. A total of 705 diesel cars were imported into Estonia. Petrol-powered cars accounted for 354 imports, while hybrids reached 329.
Summary
Estonia’s used car market continued strong growth in April, with ownership transfers increasing by more than 45% year-on-year. BMW remained the most popular car brand, followed by Volkswagen and Toyota. Among models, the BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series and Volkswagen Passat dominated the rankings.
Among vehicles up to 10 years old, Toyota and Škoda were the most popular brands, reflecting growing buyer interest in reliable, economical cars with lower running costs. The popularity of hybrids and SUVs is also increasing.
More than 1,600 used cars were imported into Estonia in April, mainly from Germany and Finland. BMW, Volvo and Mercedes vehicles were imported the most, while diesel engines remained the preferred choice.
