For the fourth year in a row, more Spaniards are being priced out of car ownership. By 2025, 5.4% of the population could not afford to buy a car. Just a few years ago, cars were more accessible in Spain than in much of Europe. Now new-car prices are climbing as household budgets come under strain, putting ownership out of reach for many.
Eurostat figures show the shift. While the European Union has lowered the share of people unable to buy new cars over the past decade, Spain has moved in the opposite direction. In 2016, Spain’s rate of car unaffordability was 1.5 points below the EU average. It has since passed that level, and the gap has widened since the pandemic.
In 2025, Spain’s car fleet remained among the oldest in Europe. The average vehicle age was 14.6 years, and nearly 29 million vehicles were over 9 years old.
The reasons are straightforward. New cars have become much more expensive as production costs rise, technology advances and safety rules tighten. Spanish wages, meanwhile, have not kept pace with inflation or the rising cost of living. For many families, the price of a new car now competes with essentials such as rent and groceries, forcing tough decisions.
Young adults face an even tougher situation. Only 48% of Spaniards under 34 have a driving licence, information from Auto Bild. Getting one costs between €800 and €1,500, before insurance, fuel or maintenance. For many, the independence a car once promised now looks like a financial burden.
The used-car market is booming so. In 2025, Spain saw about 3.2 million used-car sales, compared with just 1.3 million new-car registrations. The second-hand market has long served buyers on a budget, but the gap between new and used sales has widened sharply during tough economic times. More people are turning to older cars as new models become unaffordable.
Industry associations GANVAM and Faconauto reported 155,532 used-car sales in Spain in August 2026, a 6.1% year-on-year increase. For every new car registered that month, there were about 1.5 used-car transactions, a sign of the second-hand market’s dominance.
Spain’s path is not common to all of Europe. Malta and Luxembourg have much lower rates of car unaffordability. Poland, France and Italy also report lower rates. Poland, for example, has cut its share in half over the past decade, helped by strong economic growth. Finland and Hungary still have higher shares of people unable to afford a car. Bulgaria and Greece do too.
Car makers are responding to the squeeze. Traditional brands have raised prices, citing higher costs and new technology. Low-cost and Asian brands, especially those from China, are gaining ground with cheaper options. The market is changing, giving Spanish buyers some new, if limited, choices.
The struggle to own a car reaches beyond Spain. Across Europe, governments and the auto industry are rethinking how to respond to changing consumer realities. In the UK, for example, there is a proposal to let drivers with automatic-only licences switch to manual cars after just one hour of training, as reported earlier. The proposal reflects wider recognition that traditional ways of accessing cars are under pressure.
In Spain, four years of rising car unaffordability point to a problem beyond temporary setbacks. Used-car sales are surging as budget brands gain ground, while the share of young drivers falls. Unless wages catch up and entry costs come down, car ownership will become even more exclusive. The Spanish government and industry leaders will have to decide how to respond or risk leaving millions without access to a car.
