Study: The average age of vehicles in CEE has exceeded 12 years, and almost half of respondents drive cars older than a decade

The average age of vehicles has reached or exceeded 12 years, and almost half of respondents (48 percent) drive cars that are more than a decade old, according to a study conducted by MOL Group in six Central and Eastern European countries. According to the study, drivers underestimate the real age of their cars and postpone replacing them.

“A recent study conducted by MOL Group in six Central and Eastern European countries shows that the average age of vehicles has reached or exceeded 12 years, and almost half of respondents (48 percent) drive cars older than a decade. However, most drivers do not consider their vehicles to be “old”: 44 percent say that their car is no longer new, but not old either,” MOL says.

The study — which is based on the responses of over 1,700 members of the MOL Move loyalty program from Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia and Slovenia — analyzed car maintenance habits and attitudes towards premium fuels.

Official EU data shows an average vehicle age of 15 years in Hungary, 15.5 years in Romania, 15.1 years in Slovakia and 16.2 years in the Czech Republic.

However, self-reported estimates are significantly lower in all countries, suggesting that many drivers either underestimate or ignore the true age of their cars. In Romania, only 20 percent of respondents believe their vehicle is old — even though almost half of them (47 percent) drive cars older than 10 years.

The study also showed that almost half of drivers in the region do not plan to change their car in the next five years — regardless of its age.

“Worryingly, one in ten respondents (10 percent) said they currently cannot afford even a minor repair. This lack of financial flexibility and deferred maintenance pose significant risks to road safety. In this context, affordable, everyday solutions that can extend the life of the vehicle — such as the use of premium fuels — are becoming increasingly important. In the region, 64 percent of drivers use premium fuel at least once, and 30 percent of them choose such fuel at least four times out of ten,” the study notes.

Most respondents believe in the benefits of premium fuels: 60 percent agree that they improve engine performance, while 56 percent believe they help extend engine life.