by The years of full-scale invasion were surprising with one paradox: while the country was at war, the premium segment was growing as if on yeast. Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, and all that company, it seemed, should have installed coffee machines with champagne in their car dealerships — the demand was such that one could only rejoice. But 2025 brought a sharp cold shower.
According to AUTO-Consulting, based on the results of 10 months, sales of new premium cars in Ukraine fell by 4% compared to last year. It doesn’t sound like much, but after several seasons of total growth — this is already a wake-up call.
And now the facts. In 2023, premium occupied 20.4% of the market, soaring by +90% relative to 2022. In 2024, the positive trend continued — almost 21% and another +10% on top. And now — a sharp reversal.
2025 started briskly: +31.8% in January. And then, closer to the middle of the year, it was as if someone turned off the lights. In August — an anti-record: almost –30% in sales. The segment’s share dropped to 14–15%.
The main players are ‘in the minus’:
BMW — –22.8%
Lexus — –17.6%
Mercedes-Benz — –16%
Jaguar — completely disappeared in a cloud of dust — more than –80%
And here a logical question arises: what happened?
The answer — new buyer priorities. Ukrainians, who just yesterday were picking up the keys to an ‘E-class’ or an ‘X5’, are today massively choosing Chinese electric vehicles. While tax benefits are in effect (until the end of 2025), this looks maximally pragmatic. The share of Chinese electric cars has already reached 30% of all new car sales.
Well, as for premium… Premium suddenly felt that reality had changed.
Whether the wealthy are gradually disappearing from the country, or preparing to do so, or simply decided not to show off in car dealerships — but the cash registers of Mercedes and BMW suddenly started to feel sad.
One thing is clear: the premium market is no longer ‘faking stability’. In 2025, for the first time in several years, it has genuinely declined. And now the main intrigue is whether those who haven’t yet managed to board a plane will return, or whether Chinese electric cars will completely eat up the luxury segment.
