[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyung-wook ] As the burden of purchasing new cars has increased since last month following the expiration of the reduction in the special consumption tax on automobiles, interest in “nearly-new used cars” with relatively low mileage has grown.

K Car, a directly operated used-car platform, announced on the 21st that an analysis of vehicle search data from its app and website in July showed a 24% month-over-month increase in searches for used cars with mileage of 40,000 km or less.

While overall search volume increased by 6% compared to the previous month, searches for near-new used cars surged significantly.

K Car’s analysis suggests this may be due to the increasing financial burden of purchasing new cars. The government ended the individual consumption tax reduction (from 5% to 3.5%)—a measure that had been in place for a year and a half—effective July 2025.

In particular, customer interest was concentrated on models with mileage between 10,000 and 40,000 km. Searches for vehicles with mileage of 30,000 km or less and 20,000 km or less also increased by 16.3% and 14.9%, respectively, compared to the previous month.

The growth rate for “nearly-new” used cars was also notable in searches by model year. Search volumes for 2022–2024 model years all increased by more than 10% compared to the previous month.

However, search volume for vehicles with less than 10,000 km on the odometer—where price drops from new car prices are minimal—rose by only 5.6%, falling below the overall average. Search volume for models from 2025 and later, as well as 2026 and later—which are close to new cars—actually decreased by 8.5% and 0.2%, respectively, compared to the previous month.

This is interpreted as a result of consumer interest shifting away from the latest model-year vehicles that have only recently been released toward 2- to 4-year-old used cars with low mileage, which offer price competitiveness compared to new cars while maintaining good condition.

Jo Eun-hyeong, an analyst with K Car’s PM Team, stated, “Recently, consumers have been comparing low-model-year, low-mileage vehicles that offer a good balance between price and condition, rather than simply seeking the latest model years.” She added, “By comprehensively checking not only the model year and mileage but also accident and maintenance history, as well as warranty coverage, consumers can make more informed vehicle choices.”