FINNS OPT FOR USED CARS AMID COVID PANDEMIC

Car-crazy Finns are not craving for spanking new models amid a pandemic that has reduced the use of public transport but intensified domestic tourism, Yle news agency reported late on July 17, 2020.

Sales of used cars in Finland have grown steadily during the coronavirus crisis, as the corresponding trade in new cars has collapsed. According to the Finnish Information Center of Automobile Sector, 56,275 used cars were sold in June after strong sales in May, said Pekka Rissa, CEO of the Confederation for the Finnish Automotive Industry.

The recent boom in domestic tourism has also led to people buying more used cars, especially spacious models such as station wagons, Rissa added, as smaller cars are not suitable for family travel. Meanwhile, the registration of new vehicles was down 53 percent in May and 24 percent in June, compared to the same periods last year.

Juha Kalliokoski, CEO of used car specialist Kamux, told Yle that the supply of new cars has been severely hampered by the coronavirus crisis, leading dealers to import used vehicles from other European countries, particularly Sweden. The weaknesses of the Swedish Krona against the Euro have been a contributory factor in this rise, too. "The Swedish krona has been very weak for several years. It has been cheaper to import cars from Sweden compared to, say, Germany, where the euro is used," he said.