Estonian car market recovering, but used car shortage deepens

Estonia's car sales show clear signs of recovery in 2025 following a challenging period. At the same time, a new problem is emerging in the used car market – the supply of quality vehicles is declining and market participants are already talking of a shortage.

Estonia's car market has shown marked improvement in 2025, but at the same time a new challenge has emerged: the used car market is beginning to run short of quality vehicles. Sellers describe the situation as a growing shortage, which could affect consumer choices and prices in the near future.

Sales numbers growing

Sales of new and used vehicles have grown robustly this year, signalling increased consumer purchasing power and intent compared to previous years. After an extended period of weakness, car buyers have become more active again and dealers are registering increasing numbers of transactions.

Yet the market's improvement is not without problems. The used car segment is facing a shortage of supply – finding decent vehicles with good value-for-money ratios has become more difficult for both private buyers and dealers.

Shortage of quality cars

Market participants warn that the decline in used car inventories could mean rising prices and longer waiting times to find a suitable vehicle. The situation is caused by several factors, including lower new car sales in previous years, meaning the volume of newer vehicles reaching the used market is more limited.

The supply shortage taking shape in Estonia's car market is a sign of broader imbalance, where demand exceeds supply. Consumers should be prepared for the fact that finding suitable used cars may require more time and effort in future, and prices may follow an upward trend.