Car market in transition – what does data reveal about consumer choices?

Fuel prices are rising, electric car sales are growing, and consumers are making purchasing decisions faster than market uncertainty might suggest. Alma Mobility’s fresh data from Nettiauto and Autotalli services, as well as the Mittaristo tool, provides a concrete picture of these changes.

Global tensions reflected in Finnish car choices

A significant portion of the world’s crude oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz. The tightening of tensions in the Strait region has also raised fuel prices in Finland, and this is visible in Alma Mobility’s data: interest in electric cars has grown at the same pace as the price of refueling.

This is not an isolated peak. Consumers now justify their car choices more clearly by operating costs – and as gasoline prices remain high, the calculated advantage of an electric car grows every month. This change is visible in both search data and actual sales.

Consumer considers for a long time, but decides quickly

Alma Mobility’s Market Pulse study (Q1/2026) and Car Purchase Process study (April 2026) show that the Finnish car buyer is not paralyzed by uncertainty. Despite the economic situation, people are making deals – when the right car is found.

Over half of buyers, 53 percent, keep their search criteria unchanged throughout the entire search process. This means that the decision has usually been matured even before the buyer contacts the seller.

The first contact today usually happens online, based on an advertisement. In the 2026 purchase process study, artificial intelligence was mentioned for the first time as a source of information – a sign that information retrieval is also changing. The study also showed that 39 percent of buyers would recommend a car dealership to a friend, which indicates the importance of customer experience after the purchase decision.

Electric car leads euro-denominated sales

Nettiauto’s January–April 2026 statistics reveal a turning point that has long been coming: in March, electric car sales grew by 60 percent year-on-year, and in March–April, electric cars rose to the top of euro-denominated sales for the first time. The growth is not explained by a single model or campaign; it is a broad market shift where the higher average price of an electric car increases euro-denominated turnover faster than unit volume. Mittaristo data also challenges the common perception of electric car depreciation: the residual values of different powertrains develop quite steadily over a 36-month review, and electric cars do not depreciate more than others.

Data paints a consistent picture: the car market is now shaped by factors originating outside it. Energy prices, geopolitical tensions, and the growth of digital channels are directly reflected in consumer choices. Purchasing decisions are more clearly based on cost calculations than before, the purchase journey has moved online, and the position of the electric car in the market is now measurable, not just predictable.

Alma Mobility’s webinar “Ajankohtaista autokaupasta” (12.5.2026) reviews market data in detail – from sales statistics to consumer research and residual value analysis.

Watch the recording here (in Finnish).

Share article