The trading volume is steadily increasing, and the performance of commercial vehicles is impressive
According to data released by the China Automobile Dealers Association, the transaction volume of the national second-hand car market will exceed 20 million units by 2025, setting a new historical high. Among them, the cumulative transaction of commercial vehicles was 2.8692 million, a year-on-year increase of 7.7%, becoming an important force driving the overall growth of the second-hand car market. The growth rate of cargo trucks is particularly prominent, with a total of 1.7193 million vehicles traded in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 8.98%; The bus market has also maintained a stable growth pace, with a transaction volume of 1.1499 million vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 5.85%.
Entering 2026, despite the shortened trading period of the second-hand car market in February due to the impact of the Spring Festival holiday and the overall trend of a month on month decline, the commercial vehicle market still shows strong resilience. Data shows that in February 2026, a total of 78800 passenger cars were traded, with a decrease in month on month growth but a year-on-year increase of 1.87%; 111100 trucks were traded, with a decrease in month on month growth but a year-on-year increase of 3.30%. This indicates that the commercial vehicle market can still maintain relatively stable growth in the face of seasonal factors.
The market structure continues to optimize, with highlights in various segmented fields
The steady growth of the second-hand commercial vehicle market is not only reflected in the increase of transaction volume, but also in the continuous optimization of market structure. From a segmented perspective, large commercial vehicles and luxury commercial vehicles have stable demand and high resale value in the second-hand market due to their advantages in brand, quality, and comfort. Toyota Alphard, Buick GL8 and other models have become popular in the second-hand market due to their high-end brand image and comfortable driving experience. Although the resale value of Mercedes Benz commercial vehicles varies among different models, the overall price still has certain advantages in the market, meeting the needs of different consumers for luxury business travel.
The second-hand truck market also has enormous potential. In recent years, with the deep adjustment of the logistics industry and the arrival of the commercial vehicle replacement cycle, the second-hand truck trading market has remained active. Data shows that in 2023, the transaction volume of second-hand trucks in China exceeded that of new vehicles for the first time, and in 2024, it reached 1.2 times that of new vehicles. This trend will continue in 2025, and the second-hand truck market will become an important driving force for the overall growth of the commercial vehicle market.
The export business is booming, and the international market is expanding new space
Against the backdrop of the continued rise in global second-hand car trade, China's second-hand commercial vehicle export business is also showing a thriving trend. Taking Wucheng Economic Development Zone as an example, relying on the foundation of more than 30 years of deep cultivation in the automotive parts industry, the region has built a second-hand car export base, from "making something out of nothing" to "taking shape", and has embarked on a characteristic development path of "industry empowering foreign trade and foreign trade feeding back the industry".
Wucheng Economic and Technological Development Zone has established a full chain development model of "whole vehicle maintenance+parts matching+overseas services", and achieved a chain like overseas expansion of "Wucheng Manufacturing" through the export of second-hand cars. At present, the base has exported nearly a thousand second-hand cars with a value of nearly 100 million yuan, driving the export value of related products such as steel and tires to tens of millions of yuan. At the same time, Wucheng Economic Development Zone actively establishes official cooperative relationships with multiple countries and regions such as Hungary and Uzbekistan, continuously expanding its brand influence.
In addition to Wucheng Economic Development Zone, top markets such as Liangshan Huatong Second hand Car Trading Market are also actively expanding their second-hand car export business. These markets, with their complete industrial chain supporting capabilities and mature overseas distribution networks, have become an important force in China's second-hand commercial vehicle exports. According to data from the General Administration of Customs, the Liangshan Huatong second-hand car trading market exports over 10000 vehicles annually, accounting for 35% of the total export volume of second-hand commercial vehicles in China, making it a true industry "carrier".
Standardization construction accelerates, market order continues to be regulated
Faced with the rapid development of the second-hand commercial vehicle market, standardization construction has become the key to promoting the sustained and healthy development of the market. In April 2025, Foton Motor, in collaboration with the China Automobile Dealers Association and other organizations, released the "Foton Brand Certification Second hand Vehicle Maintenance Standard System", which is the industry's first standard system for second-hand commercial vehicle maintenance. This system covers the testing standards, maintenance standards, and process standards for all types of commercial vehicles, and has developed standardized operational processes for the entire business from receiving the vehicle to testing, maintenance and refurbishment, sales, warranty activation, and after-sales service.
The release of this standard system not only provides a benchmark paradigm for manufacturing transformation and upgrading for the global used car industry, but also promotes the global used car industry chain to rise to the mid to high end of the value chain by exporting Chinese technical standards and sustainable development experience. At the same time, as top markets such as Liangshan Huatong begin to transform from traditional "distribution centers" to "comprehensive service platforms", the market's requirements for standardization, export compliance capabilities, and digital service experience are also increasing. This has prompted more market participants to focus on improving their own standardization level and service quality, thereby promoting the sustained regulation of the entire second-hand commercial vehicle market order.
Future outlook: Opportunities and challenges coexist
Looking ahead, the second-hand commercial vehicle market will continue to maintain a steady growth trend. With the gradual manifestation of the effectiveness of competition governance in the automotive industry and the deepening of the trade in policy, the prices of the new car market are expected to remain stable, which will create a more favorable development environment for the second-hand car market. Meanwhile, with the continuous development of the logistics industry and the arrival of the commercial vehicle replacement cycle, the demand for second-hand commercial vehicles in the market will continue to be strong.
However, opportunities and challenges coexist. In the rapid development of the second-hand commercial vehicle market, it also faces problems such as difficult evaluation, high risk, and information asymmetry. Therefore, strengthening market supervision, improving evaluation systems, and enhancing service quality will become the key to promoting the sustained and healthy development of the market. At the same time, with the gradual rise of new energy used cars and the continuous expansion of the international market, the second-hand commercial vehicle market will also usher in new development opportunities and challenges.