French purchasing power and today's car offer: the widening gap in 2026
According to AAA Data, the average new car sold in France reached 36,319 euros over the first five months of 2026. With a median net salary of around 2,200 euros a month, that is more than sixteen months of pay for an average vehicle. At the same time, INSEE reports that household purchasing power per consumption unit fell 0.6 percent in the second quarter of 2026, after 0.2 percent in the previous quarter. Two curves that cross badly: here is what that means for drivers.
A new-car market under strain
In 2025, 1,632,151 new passenger cars were registered, 5 percent fewer than in 2024 and about 580,000 fewer a year than before the pandemic, when the market was close to 2.2 million. In early 2026, January and February marked the lowest levels in fifteen years, before a rebound: 879,903 registrations in the first half, up 1.6 percent year on year.
Price gaps between powertrains explain part of the widening gap. Over the first five months of 2026, the average petrol model sells for around 25,000 to 26,000 euros, a hybrid around 37,000 and an electric car around 43,000. Electric is still growing, at 27.9 percent of registrations in the first half of 2026, a record, against 20 percent across 2025.
An ageing fleet, for lack of renewal
On 1 January 2025, France had 39.7 million cars on the road, with an average age of almost 12 years, up by nearly two years over ten years. When a new car is out of reach, people keep their vehicle longer, which extends the fleet's ageing and brings certain traffic restrictions (low-emission zones in particular) closer.
Used cars, a safe haven
In 2025, 5,396,432 used cars changed hands, about 3.3 times the volume of new cars, up 0.8 percent on the year. Used electric cars, still marginal at just over 3 percent of transactions, are growing fast and becoming an entry point to electric at a more accessible budget. A recent used car remains the most common trade-off for those who want to limit depreciation and purchase price.
What the offer holds for tight budgets
The market is adapting with new entry-level models. In the Compar'Car directory (60 models, indicative from-prices), seven of 33 new cars are offered under 20,000 euros, the most affordable being a petrol city car around 15,000, and fourteen under 25,000. On the electric side, the most accessible in the selection starts around 23,000 euros. These are only benchmarks from our directory, not a full picture of the market.
The state also supports demand. The 2026 social leasing scheme, scheduled to open to the public on 16 July, is aimed at households whose reference taxable income per share is 16,880 euros or less. Rents are capped at 200 euros a month excluding options, with at least 25 percent of each lessor's vehicles under 140 euros a month, and offers announced from about 94 euros a month for a Citroen e-C3 and 99 euros for a Hyundai Inster. The budget is 401 million euros for at least 50,000 households: it is limited, so check the official sources before committing.
How to think about your budget
The right indicator is not the purchase price but the full monthly cost: instalment or depreciation, insurance, energy, maintenance, parking. Four habits help. First, set an all-inclusive monthly ceiling rather than a purchase price. Compare new, recent used and leasing on that same criterion. Check real usage (mileage, trips, ability to charge) before choosing the powertrain. Finally, pit several offers against each other, from different sellers.
What Compar'Car takes into account
That is the principle of the profile: your budget, expressed as a price or a monthly payment, your financing method, your mileage and your ability to charge weight the score of each vehicle in your selection, new and used mixed. The goal is not to find the cheapest car, but the one that best fits your situation, at the budget you set yourself.