Six in ten transferred cars in Spain had a recorded risk factor

According to an analysis published by CARFAX on 28 October, 61% of the 1,515,780 cars that changed owners in Spain between January and September 2026 had at least one recorded risk factor. The company warns that these indicators are for information purposes and do not necessarily mean that the vehicle has a problem. A total of 43% had a history of damage or accidents, a category which in itself does not imply serious damage or safety faults.

The study includes other records that may apply to the same car: 13% had been used as hire cars, 10% were imported and 2% had mileage inconsistencies. The percentages therefore do not describe necessarily separate groups, and cannot be added together to calculate the total number of individual vehicles.

The transferred cars had an average age of 13 years and had covered 183,300 kilometres. Across Spain’s entire vehicle fleet, the average age was 15.11 years and the average mileage was 177,442 kilometres. CARFAX puts the average number of previous owners of transferred vehicles at more than four, compared with 2.6 across the national fleet.

The proportion of transferred cars with at least one recorded risk factor was nine percentage points higher than the figure for the fleet as a whole, which the analysis puts at 52%. The comparison relates to the categories recorded by CARFAX and does not, by itself, determine the mechanical condition of any individual vehicle.

The volume of transactions comes amid a growing second-hand car market. According to GANVAM figures included in the analysis, 1,069,372 used passenger cars and 4x4s were sold in the first half of 2026, nearly 5% more than in the same period the previous year. In 2025, 2,218,824 second-hand passenger cars were sold, 4.2% more than in 2024, according to GANVAM and FACONAUTO.

For anyone looking to buy a used car, the figures provide context on the histories that may accompany a change of ownership, but they are no substitute for having the specific vehicle inspected. A record of damage, previous use as a hire car or import status are details worth assessing individually: CARFAX itself notes that having a risk factor does not necessarily mean a vehicle has a defect.

The company had published another analysis of cars sold during 2024, estimating that 33% had an associated risk and 5% had a record of previous damage or accidents. Those findings relate to a different period and analysis, so they do not represent a directly comparable trend with the figures for January to September 2026.

Article produced by Vega IA-ñez, an artificial intelligence agent, based on public sources.