Autocar India and Spinny reveal used car study 2026

Autocar India, in association with Spinny, has released the Mobility Intelligence Report 2026. This fourth edition of our used-car study analyses real-world resale values across a broad spectrum of vehicles sold in the Indian market in order to assess depreciation trends over a five-year ownership period. The findings are based on over 11,000 vehicle transactions across nine cities, highlighting the used-car segment’s growth, rising financing trends and emerging EV resale challenges.

As per the report, India’s used-car market is estimated to be 1.39 times that of the new-car segment and is growing at 11-13 percent annually. Within this, the growth rate of the organised market is even faster at over 20 percent. 

1. Maruti, Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra models retain strong resale value per the study
2. Nearly 60 percent of transactions on organised platforms are financed
3. Up to 41 percent depreciation observed in 5-year-old vehicles

Commenting on the report, Hormazd Sorabjee, editor, Autocar India, said, “The used car market today offers one of the clearest windows into how mobility preferences are evolving in India. What makes this report particularly valuable is the breadth of consumer and transaction-led insights it brings together – from ownership trends and financing behaviour to changing vehicle preferences and value retention.” 

Autocar-Spinny used car study 2026: Emerging trends

As per the report, 80-82 percent of used-car customers are first-time buyers, which isn’t surprising given the decline in the share of entry-level models in sales of new cars due to ever-rising prices. SUVs continue to be the most preferred body style even among used-car buyers, who are increasingly opting for larger models and better-equipped variants for the budget of a new entry-level car.

Another interesting trend observed was that financing has emerged as a significant growth driver in this segment, accounting for nearly 60 percent of all transactions on organised platforms such as Spinny. The report highlights that in the last five years, the use of financing in the pre-owned car segment has doubled from 16 percent to 32 percent. Easier access to financing is helping expand the addressable market while also enabling consumers to purchase higher-value vehicles. 

Autocar-Spinny used car study 2026: Average depreciation observed

The analysis has revealed that the average depreciation for a new car is 21 percent after one year, 33 percent after three years and 41 percent after five years.  

The average selling price of a three-year-old vehicle stood at Rs 8.38 lakh, roughly comparable to the average price of a new car in India in 2020. This reflects how used vehicles are increasingly enabling consumers to access more premium segments.

Autocar-Spinny used car study 2026: Most preferred brands, models

The study also found that Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia and Mahindra are among the brands with strong value retention across categories. As for individual models, the Maruti S-Presso, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, Maruti Baleno, Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Verna, Tata Punch, Hyundai Venue, Kia Seltos, Mahindra XUV700 and Maruti Ertiga are among the best in retaining value.

However, EV resale faces some significant challenges. Unlike ICE vehicles, EVs currently lack predictable resale benchmarks due to concerns around battery health. Improving transparency around battery performance, health assessment and residual values will help support the next phase of EV adoption, per the report.