January 2026 was a period of natural "cooling" for the used import market. After an abnormal December peak, when buyers tried to get ahead of the VAT refund on electric vehicles, the indicators of the first month of the year returned to their usual seasonal values.
The volume of "recruitment" decreased by -61.0% compared to December 2025, but was slightly higher than in January last year, by 12.2%. In total, 16,246 used cars arriving from abroad were submitted for first registration.
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German manufacturers continue to maintain a confident leadership, occupying the first four places in the overall standings.
The unchanging leader here remains Volkswagen. It occupies a significant share of the market, offering solutions for any budget. It is confidently followed by representatives of the premium segment — Audi and BMW. The demand for these brands in January indicates that buyers of more expensive cars are less dependent on seasonality or tax fluctuations.
Nissan and Ford hold on to the top five thanks to a steady stream of crossovers from US insurance auctions. Also in the Top 10 we see stable results from Renault, Skoda, Hyundai and KIA, which traditionally cover the needs of the pragmatic mass market. Jeep closes the top ten, which once again emphasizes the love of Ukrainians for the SUV format.
In the model list, the Volkswagen Golf, a true symbol of used imports, retained the first place. However, it is immediately followed by the Volkswagen Tiguan, which is actively closing the gap. Third place went to the Skoda Octavia, which remains the main choice for those looking for a balance between space and reliability.
It is interesting to observe the success of the Audi Q5 — the fourth position in the overall standings indicates the high popularity of this model, which is actively imported from both Europe and the States. Also at the top of the list are the "Americans" Nissan Rogue and Ford Escape, as well as the time-tested Volkswagen Passat and Renault Megane. The Audi A4 and Mazda CX-5 close the top ten, demonstrating the Ukrainiansʼ attachment to understandable European classics and reliable Japanese crossovers.
And there is no electric car (except for the e-Golf part, included in the family as a whole) in the top ten, unlike in previous months, where they could occupy half of the list. The change in rules has changed the market.
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While the mass market adapted to the new conditions, there was no lull in the segment of expensive vehicles. In January, Ukrainian license plates received truly rare specimens: one Lamborghini, two cars each from Bentley and McLaren, as well as six Maserati. Porsche deserves special attention — 55 cars registered per month. This shows that the demand for emotional and status cars remains stable under any circumstances.
Stanislav Buchatsky, head of the Institute for Car Market Research, comments :
"We are observing a completely natural pause after the December "overheating". The electric vehicle market took up the main attention and resources at the end of the year, so the January decline in used car imports by 61% was expected. Another important thing: the 12% growth compared to last January shows that the market foundation is healthy. Despite all the challenges, the import of used equipment remains the main source of filling the countryʼs car fleet."
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