First decline in two years – but electric cars continue to increase

For the first time in eight quarters, sales in the used car market decreased. In the second quarter of 2025, 318,556 cars changed hands – a decrease of 3.1 percent compared to the same period last year. At the same time, sales of electric cars are increasing sharply.

– That we are seeing a decline in sales is not surprising given the economic uncertainty of the spring. At the same time, it is clear that many households continue to prioritize changing cars – especially to electrified alternatives, says Daniel Odsberg, Sales Manager at Kvdbil .

Electric car sales continue to increase

Electric cars accounted for the largest increase during the quarter, with 20,812 vehicles sold – an increase of 43.7 percent compared to Q2 2024. This means that electric cars now make up 6.5 percent of the total used market. At the same time, sales of gasoline cars (-7.6%) and diesel cars (-6.4%) continued to decline.

– We are seeing a shift where more and more people are daring to choose electric cars. It is about both a larger selection and a change in consumer behavior, where the second-hand market plays an increasingly important role in electrification, says Odsberg.

Gotland in the top

In most counties, a decline in sales was noted, but three regions went against the trend: Gotland (1.7%), Västernorrland (0.3%) and Jämtland (0.1%).

– There is still some way to go to the levels we saw before the pandemic, but at this pace we believe the market could be back before the end of the year – provided that the economy and households' purchasing power continue to develop positively, says Odsberg.

Slightly falling prices – but the pressure remains

According to statistics from sister company Bilpriser, which is based on sales via kvd.se, prices fell slightly between April and June. The decline was particularly pronounced for gasoline cars.

– Limited supply and continued high demand indicate that the price level will still remain at a relatively high level in the future. It is important to remember that fewer new registrations negatively affect the availability of used cars. In addition, electric cars and plug-in hybrids are on average more expensive vehicles, which affects the entire price picture, says Daniel Odsberg.

The Volvo V70 retains its top spot as Sweden's best-selling used car during the second quarter, with 13,219 units sold. In second place was the Volkswagen Golf (12,986 cars) followed by the Volkswagen Passat (9,837 cars).

Sales statistics for the passenger car market, Q2 2025

About the compilation
Kvdbil 's statistics on used car purchases in Sweden are obtained from the Swedish Car Registry via the statistics company Vroom. The price trend is based on sales at kvd.se (approximately 20,000 per year) and is measured through the BPI (used car price index) by sister company Bilpriser.se .