When it comes to choosing used cars, Czechs know what they like. AAA AUTO has surveyed the five top-selling used cars across four age brackets, separately for men and women. Czech carmaker Škoda was the clear winner, followed by Ford and Volkswagen. Renault and Citroen also figured in the list. Men most frequently chose spacious and powerful hatchbacks or estate cars, while women favoured smaller, practical cars.
The results of the “TOP 5 used cars in the Czech Republic” survey were based on research into buyer behaviour across four age brackets (18–28 years, 29–45 years, 46–63 years, 63 years and more), grouped by gender. The data applies to last year. The preferred car for men is clearly the Škoda Octavia, which dominated in three age brackets and took second place only in the “63 years or more” group. In this group, it was overtaken by the Škoda Fabia, due to its lower price and the fact that older people place lower demands on their cars. While the Fabia otherwise took second place with men, it came first in every age group with women.
Škoda was closely followed by Ford and Volkswagen, whose Focus, Mondeo, Passat and Golf models dominated in the third to fifth places. Only three French models were able to compete with the top three brands. In the group of women between 46 and 63 years, the Peugeot 206 squeezed into third place, while among men aged 63 years or more, the Renault Laguna, Renault Thalia and Citroen Saxo took the third to fifth places.
Hatchbacks were the most preferred form of Škoda Octavia and estate cars the most preferred option from other brands in all age groups for men. “This clearly confirms the way men choose their cars. They opt for big and also powerful cars, if possible,” commented AAA AUTO CEO Karolína Topolová. “Women mainly choose smaller, practical and compact cars with a modern appearance. The power or brand is not the decisive factor - they are more concerned with safety, but also with features,” Topolová added.
By mid-2014, the average price of a used car on the Czech market had risen to 198,000 crowns. According to the results of the TOP 5 best-selling cars survey, a Czech man in one of the economically-productive age groups (i.e. from 18 to 63 years of age) will pay 126,000 crowns on average for a used car. Women will pay 116,000 crowns. The average price of a car sold by AAA AUTO is currently 179,104 crowns, which represents a 16 percent rise on the last quarter of 2013.
