Germany Used-Car Prices: DAT 2026 and Market Data

The most recent figure for prices actually paid comes from the DAT Report 2026: private used-car buyers paid €18,310 on average in 2025. AutoScout24 reports an average asking price of €26,863 for August 2026. These figures measure different things and must not be treated as a direct price increase.

The monthly market figures are current to August 2026. The paid-price average, finance share and TÜV result cover different periods and populations. The table puts them in context; it does not combine them into one price index.

If you want to map these market figures to your own first-year costs, the used-car budget worksheet keeps the purchase payment, due bills and depreciation separate.

The DAT Report 2026 covers purchases made in 2025 and gives €18,310 as the average price paid for a used car. DAT interviewed 2,598 private individuals for its car-purchase topics, including 1,306 used-car buyers, and weighted the samples.

The AutoScout24 Used Car Price Index tracks average asking prices for vehicles advertised on that platform. It stood at €26,863 in August 2026, down 0.5% from July and the sixth monthly decline in a row. An asking price is neither a sale price nor the fair value of a particular car.

The DAT series shows a steep rise through 2022 followed by a high but slightly lower level. It is a backward-looking series of average prices paid. It cannot show the price path for a specific model generation.

According to DAT’s August 2026 market update, 502,435 used passenger cars changed hands in August. That was 2.3% fewer than in August 2025. The January-to-August total was 4,273,419 cars, down 2.7% from the same period a year earlier.

A slightly smaller market does not prove that prices are rising or falling in every segment. Supply, demand, vehicle age and powertrain move differently. A buying decision still needs comparisons with genuinely similar cars.

An asking price is not a guaranteed value. First compare only cars that genuinely match on generation, engine or powertrain, registration band, mileage band and seller type. Review condition, history, specification and work already due separately.

1. Fix the model generation, engine or powertrain, and a sensible registration and mileage band.

2. Keep dealer and private offers separate. Record specification and visible differences instead of hiding them in one average.

3. Label or exclude damaged, export or project listings, missing-HU listings, or offers with unclear information when they are not comparable.

4. For each offer, record the asking price, the source of the figure, documented service or accident information, and work already visible as due.

5. Read the price position only within that set. A low or high number is a reason for further questions, not proof of a fair value.

6. Turn the difference into a next step: request evidence, ask for an explanation, arrange a suitable inspection, negotiate, or pause.

Method note: DAT webScan, the ADAC database and the AutoScout24 price assessment measure different things. None of these sources replaces diligence on the specific listing or the vehicle's condition.

The figures below are invented assumptions, not market observations:

Offer B is not automatically cheaper or fairer because its number is lower. The example only shows why price, mileage, seller type and evidence should be considered together before deciding.

DAT reports that 49% of used-car buyers used finance in 2025. Compare the total amount payable, term, interest, deposit and any final payment. The monthly instalment alone does not show whether insurance, tax, maintenance and repairs fit your budget.

The TÜV Report 2026 draws on about 9.5 million periodic roadworthiness inspections from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025. Major or dangerous defects were recorded in 21.5% of them. That result describes the inspected vehicles as a group. A fresh HU does not replace a service history or a technical inspection chosen for the car in front of you.

For a specific advert, a Listing Audit can organise the price logic, visible risks, missing evidence and seller questions before you travel.

What is the average used-car price in Germany in 2026?

The latest DAT figure for prices actually paid covers 2025 and is €18,310. AutoScout24 reports an average asking price of €26,863 for August 2026. Different periods, datasets and measures mean the two figures are not directly comparable.

Are used-car prices falling in Germany in 2026?

AutoScout24’s index fell for a sixth consecutive month in August 2026, most recently by 0.5% month on month. This covers average asking prices on that platform, not every segment and not necessarily the final prices buyers paid.

How can I judge whether a particular asking price is fair?

Compare the same generation, engine, age band and similar mileage. Account for specification, seller type, maintenance and accident history, and work already due. A national average is not enough.

The data comes from different studies, periods and populations. It does not assess an individual car and does not replace a valuation, workshop inspection, roadworthiness inspection, financial advice or legal advice.