In October 2025, 23.7 thousand used passenger cars imported from abroad were submitted for first registration. This figure is 11.3% lower than the results of October of this year, but 57.4% higher than the same period in 2024.
The diagram shows import volumes as orange sections of the columns. Since the beginning of the year, import volumes have been gradually increasing: from 14.5 thousand cars in January to 25+ thousand now. This is explained by the fact that there is currently an increased demand for electric cars — they are bought even before they are unloaded from the container. But when decisions are made on emotions, the number of unsuccessful purchases also increases. Donʼt take risks: check the car by VIN code on CEBIA to know exactly what you are dealing with.
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And although the total number is slightly less than in October, the structure of these imports has changed noticeably. If earlier we talked about the dominance of diesel station wagons, then November 2025 will go down in history as the month when "electric" cars confidently took the lead.
The reason for this activity is prosaic and pragmatic: the zero VAT benefit for electric vehicles ends on December 31. The budget was passed, the amendment to extend the benefits was rejected. So Ukrainians are importing electric vehicles en masse to make it before they have to pay at least 20% more due to VAT refunds.
In the brand ranking, the first place is traditionally held by the peopleʼs favorite Volkswagen. Here, there are no changes — Golfs and Passats are driven stably. On the second line is the premium Audi, which indicates the desire of Ukrainians to drive high-quality German cars.
But Tesla stormed into third place, overtaking BMW, Nissan, Ford and Renault. The brand, which is not even officially represented in Ukraine, became the third most popular import! This is an unprecedented case when the "gray" import of gadgets on wheels surpasses the official giants of the auto industry.
Koreans ( Hyundai, KIA ) and Japanese ( Nissan ) are also confidently holding their own in the top ten, but their positions are now determined by the presence of popular electric cars in the lineup.
There are also noticeable changes in the model ranking : the long-time import leader Volkswagen Golf moved to third place, and even the presence of the electric e-Golf did not help it. The first two steps were taken by Elon Muskʼs brainchild: Tesla Model Y — the leader of the month, Tesla Model 3 — the silver medalist.
This is a historic moment: the most popular used cars imported to Ukraine are not affordable diesel station wagons, but relatively more expensive electric vehicles. They are joined by other "green" bestsellers: the market pioneer Nissan Leaf and the hybrid/electric KIA Niro. The rest of the list is the classics of the genre: the VW Tiguan, Audi Q5, Nissan Rogue crossovers and the eternal Skoda Octavia station wagon.
As for premium models, last month the Ukrainian car fleet was replenished with the following cars of this category: 110 Porsche, 8 Maserati, 3 Rolls-Royce and 2 Bentley. And although they donʼt make statistics, they definitely create a mood.
Stanislav Buchatsky, Institute for Automotive Market Research, comments:
"The November import rating is a direct reaction of society to the actions of the Verkhovna Rada. The fact that we see Tesla at the top of the list is not a sudden love for ecology, but a pure economic calculation. Ukrainians know how to count money. Everyone understands: from January 1, after the VAT refund, these same cars will become several thousand dollars more expensive. Therefore, now we are observing registrations of already imported and repaired "Americans" and hasty purchases of "Europeans". Some for themselves, others for the warehouse, with the idea that from January it will be possible to sell more expensively, "including" the actually unpaid VAT in the price. However, market rules usually apply here, established long before us: excess supply leads to a decrease in prices. So letʼs see in practice, in our price reviews, how the electric car segment will change from the new year. Because, after all, our market rarely behaves according to classical economic theories."
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