What light commercial equipment was purchased in January 2026? Rating of new and used models
January 2026 was a "vacation" period for the small commercial vehicle (LCV) sector after the December rush. When the holiday lights were removed, it became clear that business activity had slowed down somewhat, but not significantly. This is a classic January lull: new contracts are only being signed, and old vans are still running out of last yearʼs service life.
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Results of January 2026
Last month, 1,796 deals were concluded within the country, and 827 first registrations of "freshly imported" LCV vehicles took place, as well as 476 small commercial vehicles received their first license plates as new, of which 46 were manufactured (or converted in the factory) in Ukraine.
Overall, the month was negative compared to December, which is completely natural for the beginning of the year.
Here are the dynamics by subsegments of the LCV market in January:
- Domestic resales: −21.5% MM, +45.5% YY
- Used imports: −32.0% MM, −1.7% YY
- New imports: −19.9% MM, +14.1% YY
- Made in Ukraine: −33.3% MM, +21.1% YY
LCV — domestic market
In the domestic secondary market, the most popular three types remain: cargo vans, pickup trucks, and flatbed trucks. These are often universal vehicles that carry cement during the day and a family from the supermarket in the evening.
The list of models is without surprises: the “eternal” Mercedes-Benz Sprinter leads, followed by Renault Master. Despite its venerable age, the GAZ Gazelle still breaks into the top three, creaking its springs — a budget ticket to the world of transportation. Also, active demand is maintained for Volkswagen Transporter, Ford Transit, and “pies” like Renault Kangoo and Fiat Doblo. Renault Trafic, Volkswagen Crafter, and Fiat Ducato round out the top ten.
LCV — used import
Regular vans, refrigerated vans, and flatbed trucks dominate here.
The leader among the "freshly imported" LCVs was Renault Master, which was ahead of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. These two models are the basis of our small business. Ukrainians are also actively importing Renault Trafic, Volkswagen Crafter and Renault Kangoo from Europe. For those who need slightly smaller dimensions, the list includes Opel Movano, Volkswagen Transporter, Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Vito and Ford Transit Custom.
LCV — new sales
The new car segment looks the most interesting in terms of types: vans, pickup trucks, and cargo-passenger versions predominate here.
The real sensation was Peugeot Landtrek, which topped the model rating. Together with Toyota Hilux and Mitsubishi L 200, it proves that the pickup format in Ukraine is now not about farming, but about universal endurance. The traditional commercial sector chooses Peugeot Partner, Renault Express and Fiat Ducato. There were also new names: the Chinese JAC V10 and Chery Himla entered the Top 10, and the proven Fiat Doblo and Citroen Berlingo close the list.
Expert opinion
Ostap Novitsky, co-founder of the Institute for Car Market Research:
"If you look purely at the numbers, the growth of the domestic market by +45.5% YY looks like a miracle. But it is worth mentioning that in January 2025, the registers of the State Registration Service were "down" due to a cyberattack, and registrations of used cars were simply not carried out. So the current "growth" is not a boom, but simply a return to normal operation of the system without technical collapses.
But what is really interesting is the composition of the Top 10 new cars. Here, for the first time in the ranking , JAC V10 and Chery Himla appeared. These are no longer just attempts to enter the market, this is a real presence. JAC V10 is an electric van with a range of about 280 km, which covers the needs of urban logistics for very reasonable money. And Chery Himla is a frame pickup truck that is trying to play in the Hilux field, but with a Chinese price tag. The appearance of such players in the top next to Peugeot and Renault says one thing: small businesses now need a quick payback, not the magic of the brand. Chinese products have already confidently established themselves in the segment of new passenger cars, and now, as statistics show, they are trying to take a share among commercial vehicles as well.
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