Sponsored press release from CarsJapan (carsjapan.cy). This report is published as sponsor content. The market data below is sourced from the Cyprus Statistical Service (CyStat) and confirmed against the primary gov.cy publications; commentary attributed to CarsJapan is the company’s own opinion.
NICOSIA, Cyprus — 2026 — Used cars accounted for 66.5% of all passenger saloon cars registered in Cyprus in the first months of 2026 — two out of every three cars newly put on Cyprus roads this year are second-hand. That is the headline of the 2026 edition of CarsJapan’s annual review of the Cyprus used car market, a first-half read compiled from the latest year-to-date release of the Cyprus Statistical Service (CyStat).
This is the 2026 edition, a first-half (H1) read current as of early July 2026. CyStat publishes vehicle registrations monthly; at the time of writing the latest available release covers January–May 2026 (the January–June figures are not yet published). Where this report says “H1 2026 so far,” it means that January–May window. Comparisons are against the same period of 2025 (year-over-year), with full-year 2025 for context.
The headline: used cars are the Cyprus car market
In January–May 2026, Cyprus registered 18,259 passenger saloon cars, up 12.5% on the 16,224 registered in the same period of 2025. Of those 2026 registrations, 12,147 (66.5%) were used and just 6,112 (33.5%) were new.
That is not a blip. Across full-year 2025, used cars were 64.1% of the 40,778 passenger saloon cars registered — so the used-car majority is the settled shape of the market, and it has widened further in 2026.
| Passenger saloon cars | 2025 full year | Jan–May 2025 | Jan–May 2026 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total registered | 40,778 | 16,224 | 18,259 | +12.5% |
| New | 14,633 (35.9%) | — | 6,112 (33.5%) | — |
| Used | 26,145 (64.1%) | — | 12,147 (66.5%) | — |
Source: CyStat, Registration of Motor Vehicles — January–December 2025 release and January–May 2026 release.
The market is growing — and accelerating in 2026
The used-heavy market is also a growing one. Total motor-vehicle registrations rose 13% year-on-year in January–May 2026, to 23,743 units from 21,012. For full-year context, 2025 closed at 52,508 total registrations, up 5.8% on 2024’s 49,616.
| Registrations, all motor vehicles | Total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 (full year) | 49,616 | — |
| 2025 (full year) | 52,508 | +5.8% |
| Jan–May 2025 | 21,012 | — |
| Jan–May 2026 | 23,743 | +13.0% |
Source: CyStat, Registration of Motor Vehicles — January–December 2025 and January–May 2026 releases.
Fuel type: hybrids have taken over, petrol is falling fast
The other structural shift is under the bonnet. In January–May 2026, hybrids passed half of all passenger-car registrations while petrol’s share fell sharply year-on-year.
| Passenger saloon cars by fuel type | Jan–May 2025 | Jan–May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 42.9% | 51.3% |
| Petrol | 43.7% | 35.4% |
| Diesel | 8.8% | 8.3% |
| Electric | 4.7% | 5.0% |
Source: CyStat, Registration of Motor Vehicles — January–May 2026 release.
For full-year context, hybrids were 44.3% of passenger saloon cars in 2025 (up from 37.1% in 2024), petrol 42.0% (from 48.6%), diesel 8.9% (from 10.3%) and electric 4.7% (from 4.0%) — the same direction of travel, now sharper in 2026.
Source: CyStat, Registration of Motor Vehicles — January–December 2025 release.
Japan builds nearly half the cars on Cyprus roads
Cyprus is, in effect, a Japanese-car market. Of every motor vehicle registered in the country in 2025, 44.1% were Japanese-made — more than triple the next-largest manufacturer, Germany (13.0%), and well ahead of France (7.0%), the United Kingdom (6.0%) and South Korea (3.9%) (CyStat, full-year 2025, by country of manufacture). For buyers, that dominance is practical: Japanese models have the deepest used-car stock, parts supply and servicing network on the island.
What CarsJapan is seeing on the ground
The following is CarsJapan’s own read of the market — the company’s analysis and showroom observations, not official statistics.
CarsJapan’s view is that two forces are reshaping demand in H1 2026:
- Buyers are moving to more economical cars because fuel has become expensive. Fuel prices in Cyprus rose 20.5% between May 2025 and May 2026, and diesel has been among the fastest-rising in the EU. In our showroom, CarsJapan is seeing that translate into demand for smaller-engine and hybrid used imports, and away from thirsty petrol and diesel models — which tracks the CyStat data showing petrol falling to 35.4% while hybrids pass 51%.
- Demand for electric cars is rising on the back of the government grant. Cyprus’s Electromobility Promotion Scheme offers €9,000 towards a new private battery-electric car (and up to €20,000 for large families and people with disabilities), which CarsJapan’s view is has pulled EV interest into the mainstream and lifted enquiries for electric and plug-in stock.
These two facts — the fuel-price rise and the EV grant — are drawn from public sources (see Methodology). The interpretation of them is CarsJapan’s opinion.
“With pump prices up around 20% on last year, the customers walking into our showroom are asking a different question than they did two years ago — they want something economical to run, which is why demand has swung so hard toward hybrids and smaller-engined used imports. At the same time, the government’s €9,000 grant has moved electric cars from a niche curiosity to a real option for ordinary buyers. The official CyStat figures for early 2026 match what we see on the floor.” — a CarsJapan spokesperson
Why this matters for Cyprus buyers
Three facts from the official data frame the H1-2026 market:
- Second-hand is the mainstream choice, not the budget one. Two in three passenger cars registered in early 2026 are used — the used market is where most buying decisions are made.
- The market is expanding. Registrations are up double digits year-on-year in 2026, so demand is real and rising.
- Hybrids are now the default, and electric is climbing. Hybrids passed half of registrations in early 2026; with fuel prices up and a €9,000 EV grant on the table, the shift toward economical and electric cars is set to continue.
Frequently asked questions
(This FAQ is also provided in the article’s structured FAQ field.)
Where does the market data in this report come from? Every registration figure comes from the Cyprus Statistical Service (CyStat), specifically its “Registration of Motor Vehicles” releases for January–December 2025 and January–May 2026. Fuel-price and EV-grant context is from the sources listed in the Methodology note. Figures and commentary attributed to CarsJapan are the company’s own.
Why does the report cover January–May and not the full first half of 2026? Because CyStat had not yet published the January–June 2026 registration figures at the time of writing (early July 2026). Rather than present a half-year that is not out, this report uses the latest available release — January–May 2026 — and says so.
How large is the Cyprus used car market? In January–May 2026, 12,147 used passenger saloon cars were registered — 66.5% of the 18,259 passenger saloon cars registered in that period. Across full-year 2025, used cars were 64.1% of the 40,778 registered.
Why are buyers shifting toward hybrid and electric cars? CarsJapan’s view is that higher running costs are the main driver: fuel prices rose about 20.5% year-on-year to May 2026, pushing buyers toward economical hybrids, while the government’s Electromobility Promotion Scheme (up to €9,000 for a private electric car) is lifting demand for EVs. The registration data supports the direction — hybrids passed 51% and petrol fell to 35% in early 2026.
About CarsJapan
CarsJapan (carsjapan.cy) is a Cyprus-based importer and retailer of used vehicles, specialising in imported stock for the local market. More information is available at carsjapan.cy.
Methodology and data sources
Vehicle-registration statistics are from the Cyprus Statistical Service (CyStat, cystat.gov.cy), “Registration of Motor Vehicles” series:
- Year-to-date 2026: CyStat “Registration of Motor Vehicles: January–May 2026” release (published June 2026). Figures used: total registrations 23,743 (+13.0%); passenger saloon cars 18,259 (+12.5%); new 6,112 (33.5%) / used 12,147 (66.5%); fuel-type shares for Jan–May 2025 and Jan–May 2026.
- Full-year 2025 vs 2024: CyStat “Registration of Motor Vehicles: January–December 2025” release (published early January 2026). Figures used: total registrations 52,508 (+5.8%); passenger saloon cars 40,778 (+6.2%); new 14,633 / used 26,145; fuel-type shares for 2024 and 2025.
Supporting context:
- Fuel prices — fuel prices in Cyprus rose 20.5% between May 2025 and May 2026, in line with the EU average of 20.7% (Eurostat, “Evolution of fuel prices in May 2026”, 22 June 2026; reported by Cyprus Mail).
- EV grant — the Electromobility Promotion Scheme offers a €9,000 grant towards a new private battery-electric car, up to €20,000 for large families and people with disabilities, and €9,000 towards a used imported battery-electric car, administered by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works (fourth call, budget €5.62m; European Alternative Fuels Observatory; Cyprus Mail, 28 November 2025).
Every statistic in this report is drawn directly from the cited CyStat releases and has been confirmed against the primary gov.cy publications; no figure has been estimated.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does the market data in this report come from?
- Every registration figure comes from the Cyprus Statistical Service (CyStat), specifically its Registration of Motor Vehicles releases for January-December 2025 and January-May 2026. Figures and commentary attributed to CarsJapan are the company's own.
- Why does the report cover January-May and not the full first half of 2026?
- Because CyStat had not yet published the January-June 2026 registration figures at the time of writing (early July 2026). This report uses the latest available release, January-May 2026, and says so rather than presenting a half-year that is not yet out.
- How large is the Cyprus used car market?
- In January-May 2026, 12,147 used passenger saloon cars were registered, or 66.5% of the 18,259 passenger saloon cars registered in that period. Across full-year 2025, used cars were 64.1% of the 40,778 registered.
- Why are buyers shifting toward hybrid and electric cars?
- CarsJapan's view is that higher running costs are the main driver: fuel prices rose about 20.5% year-on-year to May 2026, pushing buyers toward economical hybrids, while the government's Electromobility Promotion Scheme (up to 9,000 euro for a private electric car) is lifting EV demand. The registration data supports the direction, with hybrids past 51% and petrol down to 35% in early 2026.