In December 2024, Estonians purchased nearly twice as many new cars as they did during the same period the previous year, a surge attributed to upcoming tax increases.
Throughout 2024, nearly 25,400 new passenger cars were sold in Estonia, an 11% increase compared to 2023.
In December 2024 alone, new car purchases were up by 97% compared to December of the previous year. Additionally, sales of used cars rose significantly in the last months of the year.
Half of all cars sold during the year were hybrids, while fully electric vehicles accounted for 5.2% of sales. The most popular brands were Toyota, Škoda, and Volkswagen.
Truck sales in December 2024 increased by an even more dramatic 136% compared to December 2023.
This surge in sales is largely attributed to the introduction of a one-time registration tax for vehicles being registered in Estonia for the first time. The European Commission has criticized Tallinn’s plans for such a tax, calling it discriminatory.
