Why are the prices of new cars in Spain continuing to accelerate upwards?

Buying a new vehicle in Spain today is significantly more expensive than it was before the Covid-19 pandemic. The average price at official dealerships has increased by 38.1% in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2019, reaching some 40,582 euros, which represents an increase of 11,190 euros.

This increase is almost double the rise in inflation over the last six years, according to data from the national association of motor vehicle dealers, repairs and spare parts (Ganvam).

In the last year, prices have also experienced a notable increase of 9.2%, from an average of 37,141 euros to the current figure. This increase in prices has had a direct impact on registrations, which totalled 377,889 units up to April 2025 - 13.4% less than the 436,328 units sold in the first four months of 2019.

The most popular and affordable vehicles are no exception. In 2019, the average price of the ten best-selling models was around 20,000 euros. Now, that figure has risen to 29,645 euros, a difference of more than 10,000 euros.While in 2019 the Seat Leon (21,627 euros), Nissan Qashqai (25,345 euros) and Dacia Sandero (9,640 euros) led sales, today the top 5 includes the Dacia Sandero (15,317), MG ZS (22,558) and Seat Ibiza (21,350), followed by the Renault Captur (25,807) and Nissan Qashqai (38,275). According to the analysis by brand, most brands have experienced an average price increase since 2019. Brands such as Smart (+156.96%), Dacia (+83.57%), Mercedes (+61.26%) and BMW (+58%) show the largest increases, often due to a change in positioning or a greater weight of electrification in their catalogues.

Economic uncertainty is not the only factor affecting registrations - the shortage of affordable supply has also contributed.

According to the general director of Ganvam, Fernando Miguélez, "the good performance of electric vehicles is a trend that will continue to grow, driven by measures such as energy-saving certificates which, thanks to the agreements between brands and energy companies, allow the buyer of these electric models to benefit from discounts on the purchase price; discounts that are also compatible with other incentives currently in force", among them the MOVES III plan, with which Spain aims to promote electric mobility and reduce emissions.

In 2019, the market offered 273 models, of which 104 (38%) were available for less than 17,731 euros. Six years later, although the total number of models has slightly increased to 285, only 60 models (21%) are available for 23,774 euros or less, representing a rise of 6,043 euros in the most accessible segment.

Moreover, technological uncertainty adds another challenge: currently, there are only 31 electric models on sale in Spain for 23,774 euros or less. Of these, 26 are petrol semi-hybrids and only five are pure electric.