#find #brands #chosen #Executive #Digest
Although the second-hand vehicle market has gone through a period of turbulence in recent years, it continues to grow. Inflation and rising interest rates have attracted buyers, as has the limited availability of new cars.
Preferences for cars in different countries vary: the same model may be highly sought after in one country, but little appreciated in another. ‘carVertical’, an automotive data company, analyzed real historical car reports from 15 countries, including Portugal, with the aim of identifying the most sought-after models in 2023.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class: the most verified model in Portugal
The more verified a particular car model is on the ‘carVertical’ platform, the greater its demand. This list allows us to identify the vehicles most sought after by buyers.
The Mercedes-Benz C Class was the most checked car in Portugal in 2023 – it represented 9% of the total reports generated on the platform, followed by the Volkswagen Golf (7.7%), the Renault Mégane (6.9%), of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class (5.9%) and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (3.9%).
The Portuguese seem to show interest in Mercedes-Benz vehicles, which have a good reputation in the second-hand car market. The advanced features, high level of comfort, and luxurious interior make these vehicles a top choice among buyers.
In total, Mercedes-Benz vehicles represented 26.9% of checks in Portugal, making it the most popular vehicle manufacturer in the country. Renault (13.9%) and Audi (11.9%) are also sought after by second-hand car buyers.
“Mercedes-Benz vehicles clearly dominate the preference among people looking for a used car in Portugal but who are curious to investigate its history. This is especially important when purchasing an imported car, regardless of the date it was introduced in Portugal. Foreign historical records may reveal unpleasant reasons behind the attractive sales price”, explained Matas Buzelis, director of Communications at carVertical.
Popular models may have manipulated mileage and old damage
Although the most popular models receive a lot of attention in the pre-owned car market, buyers should be cautious when purchasing these vehicles. Many of the most sought after cars in Portugal have tampered mileage and a history of damage, which can make purchasing them a very expensive problem.
Around 0.4% of all Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars checked on ‘carVertical’ had falsified mileage and 37.9% had already suffered damage. The situation for the Golf is even worse: 1.9% of vehicles with the odometer tampered with and 49.3% with damage. In Mégane models, 2.1% had the odometer tampered with and 26.2% had suffered minor or major damage. The percentage of Class A cars with altered odometers and damage was 0.6% and 30.6%, respectively. The CL Class recorded even more damage: 35.6%.
Here is the average damage value for each model: €7,631 in the C-Class, €7,376 in the Golf, €5,855 in the Mégane, €6,670 in the A-Class, and €4,700 in the CL-Class.
The condition of a car largely depends on how the previous owner maintained it. Therefore, before purchasing, it is always best to check the vehicle’s history and consult a professional mechanic.
In Europe, buyers prefer BMW, Audi and Volkswagen
Regarding global purchasing trends, the Volkswagen Golf was the most checked car model on ‘carVertical’, with a percentage of 4.91%. The BMW 3 Series (4.89%), the Volkswagen Passat (3.75%), the BMW 5 Series (3.68%) and the Audi A4 (3.53%) were also among the most sought after cars in all the countries surveyed.
All of these models have a reputation for being reliable and for presenting a good balance between performance, comfort and practicality, which is why they are highly sought after throughout Europe.
BMW was the most popular brand in all countries, with a percentage of 14.7%. Volkswagen comes close behind, with 14.3%, followed by Audi, with 11.9%.
Audi and Volkswagen are among the 10 most popular brands in all countries studied.
