American-made cars and trucks are exported throughout the world in significant numbers; destinations such as Canada, China, and the United Arab Emirates are the predominant landing points.
Demand for new and used American-made vehicles continues to grow in Ukraine, with used cars taking the lead. In the first quarter of last year, Ukraine imported nearly 86 thousand cars, totaling $1.1 billion. The Ukrainian state imports its vehicles from several countries, with Germany being the largest at 17.1 thousand vehicles, the United States at 14.5 thousand, and China at 9.1 thousand. Japan and South Korea round out the top five.
Ukrainian drivers are increasingly choosing electric cars as their import of choice. Electric charging infrastructure is currently concentrated in large urban areas such as Kyiv, Donetsk, and Dnipro.
Imported American cars offer Ukrainians a wide array of features they cannot buy locally, attributes such as larger and more luxurious models.
How Many Used Cars Do Ukrainians Buy From The USA?
Year after year, the number of imported cars from the USA into Ukraine continues to rise. The most recent trends indicate that the popularity of electric cars is making significant inroads with Ukrainian car buyers.
36% of the used imported vehicles were electric, with the Tesla Model 3 being the most popular. Hybrid cars were next, with 7% of the total, followed by cars with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) at 6.5% and diesel at 5.5%.
Top five cars made in the United States imported into Ukraine:
- Tesla Model 3 – 4521
- Tesla Model Y – 3984
- Ford Escape – 2747
- Jeep Cherokee – 2492
- Volkswagen Passat – 2344
Hybrid vehicles (HEV and PHEV) in Ukraine remained strong in 2024, with 23.9 thousand registrations, up 39% from a year earlier. Toyota’s RAV 4 is the leader in hybrids with the Ford Fusion model coming in second.
Ukrainian car buyers use international auction sites such as Copart and IAAI that access American-made cars and trucks to decide on what vehicle to purchase. Both online platforms are considered to be some of the best sites to do business for international buyers. Copart offers clean and salvaged used cars and trucks with over 125,000 automobiles in inventory at any given time. IAAi generally provides total-loss and damaged used cars for sale to buyers worldwide. Each platform continues to add features attuned to its customers’ needs, such as financing and transport options.
How Much Do Ukrainians Pay For Used Cars From The USA?
According to the Automotive Market Research Institute, Ukrainian car buyers pay, on average, $6300 per unit. The AMRI breaks down the country into 24 regions with average prices from $2900 to $8400.
Several costs are added to every car exported from the United States into Ukraine, including shipping and customs, along with VAT (value-added tax) and excise fees.
Shipping costs vary depending on the size of the vehicle and its port of destination. Typically, costs run on average between $500 and $4000 per vehicle. Factors include the shipping method (container or roll-off) and the destination port. The size of the car is always a consideration.
It is always best to shop around when dealing with such a volatile service; for example, Dnipro LLC offers a shipping special of $1600 to Lviv, Ukraine. The cost is based on shipping four cars in one container.
The VAT is 20% of the total cost, including duty and excise fees. Other fees and duties are included in the total shipping price, and most of them are a percentage of the total, such as the pension fund contribution, which is 3 to 5% of the total.
Shippers will also incur processing fees, port fees, certification and registration, and, of course, insurance.
Ukrainians are like the rest of the world and are always looking to make the best deal on an automobile. Car buyers look for vehicles with slight damage that may be priced cheaper. These individuals purchase damaged vehicles, import them into the country, fix them up, and resell them at a premium.
Most Popular Used Car Brands Imported from the USA into Ukraine
The Ukrainian car buyer is alive and well, and even though there remains a persistent war no one wants, local buyers have a voracious appetite for American-made cars due to their reliability and feature set. Year over year, new car sales volume is up by 21.4% to 53,260 units, led by Toyota and followed by Renault. In 2024, the United States exported 41.7 thousand used cars to Ukraine, an increase of 46% from a year earlier.
- Ford is a popular brand in Ukraine, with every model sold in large numbers. The Escape and Fusion are favorites due to their many features and excellent gas mileage. The F150 pickup is another popular and functional model in the Ukrainian market.
- Toyota is the traditional sales leader in the Ukrainian market and has been for some time, until recently when the French builder Renault took the lead.
- Honda is another popular brand in Ukraine; however, they do not have the volume as other makes and models, but do sell higher-end models.
- Chevrolet appears to be one of the newer makes imported into Ukraine, hence there are no hard numbers to write about. However, the Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure has approached GM about delivering vehicles to the country.
- Hyundai and KIA were major players in Russia and Ukraine before the war that enveloped both countries. Both manufacturers have sold their Russian plants while exiting the market. Despite the war, new and used car sales for Hyundai and KIA are on the rebound.
Checking A Used Car’s History Before Shipping
Buying a used car that checks all the boxes of ownership for an individual or family can be a very rewarding experience. There is nothing simple when it comes to buying a car, whether new or used. It takes determination and research to make sure you are getting the vehicle you are paying for and not some piece of junk.
To ensure a vehicle is sound and reliable, make absolutely sure you run a vehicle history report from a quality service such as CarFax, GoodCar. History reports disclose every significant event that has happened to a specific vehicle, such as accidents and title issues. Shady sellers are prone to sell a vehicle with a salvage or rebuilt title and undisclosed liens. No matter where you are in the world, make sure you have a comprehensive vehicle history report before taking delivery.
Never buy a car or truck on emotion! Use the history report and a personal inspection to be the deciding factor on whether to purchase or keep walking.
