Romanians prefer German, diesel and manual cars when buying second-hand

Romanians seeking to buy second-hand automobiles lean towards German vehicles with manual transmissions, a diesel engine, and ages ranging from 10 to 15 years, according to a study made by Mogo Romania.

The company, which specializes in providing financing solutions for the purchase of second-hand automobiles, conducted an in-depth study on the financing portfolio granted to individuals across five European countries, including Romania, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, investigating consumer preferences regarding second-hand cars. According to the results, most Mogo customers lean towards German vehicles with automatic transmissions and ages ranging from 10 to 15 years.

The study’s findings underscore a preference for German automobile brands among consumers in this region. BMW, Volkswagen, and Audi have dominated the preferences podium across all five investigated countries. Although Volkswagen remains the primary choice in Romania and Moldova, its purchase percentage decreased from 24.4% in 2021 to 21.9% in 2023.

Preferences for the BMW brand have consistently increased across most analyzed countries, except for the Republic of Moldova, where the percentage decreased by 1% over the last two years. A significant increase was observed in Lithuania, with a 2.7% rise in 2023 compared to 2021, followed by 2.6% growth in Estonia and Romania, reaching 17.5% in 2023 compared to 15.2% in 2021.

Data reveals that 82.1% of Mogo buyers in Romania still opt for diesel cars, compared to the other analyzed countries experiencing a declining trend.

“This study provides a detailed perspective on consumer preferences and buying habits in the region’s auto market. We notice a clear preference among customers for German auto brands and a rising interest in vehicles with automatic transmission, except in Romania, where the percentage dropped by 1.9% in the past year. Thus, the rate of manual car purchases stands at 73.5%, well above the average of other countries, and it’s increasing compared to last year when 71.7% of customers opted for such models,” stated Ionuț Badiu, general manager of Mogo Romania.

The preference for automatic cars has significantly increased in recent years, gradually replacing manual transmissions in the region. In 4 out of the 5 analyzed countries, more customers prefer this type of transmission. Romania remains the only exception, experiencing a decrease from 28% in 2022 to 26% in 2023.

Another difference between Romania and the rest of the region concerns diesel engines. While a growing trend towards electric cars is observed across Europe, with diesel engine models ranking fourth in Europe in terms of registrations, diesel models remain a top preference among Mogo customers in Romania. According to the data, 82.1% of Romanian buyers opt for diesel cars.