AXA car ranking: Older and lower-cost cars on Swiss roads

This year’s AXA car ranking shows: The Swiss rely on less expensive cars than last year and drive for longer than before. As in recent years, the most expensive cars are on the roads of the canton of Zug.

While cars on Swiss roads have become increasingly expensive in recent years, the average vehicle price fell for the first time in 2025 compared with the previous year. This is evident from a look at the vehicle fleet of AXA, Switzerland’s biggest motor vehicle insurer. Whereas an average car in Switzerland cost around CHF 50,000 in 2024, it was CHF 48,000 last year. “This is likely to be related to the current weak new car market. People seem to be buying new cars less often and are opting for lower-cost second-hand cars,” explains Jérôme Pahud, Head of Mobility Insurance and Member of the AXA Mobility Competence Center. “Savings measures and the general uncertainty due to geopolitical tensions seem to be making a difference in the car market,” he adds.

Canton Zug has the most expensive cars

As in recent years, the most expensive cars are on the roads of canton Zug. The average vehicle value there is CHF 65,500, which is 35% above the Swiss average. Schwyz ranks second with almost CHF 58,000, followed by Appenzell Innerrhoden with an average value of CHF 54,500. The French-speaking cantons of Jura, Neuchâtel, and Fribourg have the lowest-priced cars. The average vehicle value there is between around CHF 41,500 and almost CHF 44,000, more than CHF 20,000 less than in canton Zug.

The fact that people in Zug and Schwyz are fond of the latest, priciest models probably has something to do with their comparatively high level of wealth. At the same time, Zug has a larger proportion of company cars than other cantons, which also pushes the average up. For cars from Appenzell Innerrhoden, the large proportion of rental cars also has an impact on the high average price,” says Jérôme Pahud.

The ranking shows the average price of the insured cars. However, the range varies widely across all cantons, spanning models priced under CHF 10,000 to luxury cars worth several million francs. The oldest vehicles insured with AXA are more than 100 years old. These are generally covered under our vintage motor vehicle insurance.

Average car age is increasing

The cars on Swiss roads have become slightly newer compared to last year. However, compared to 2019, it is clear that the average age of vehicles in Switzerland is increasing: It was 8.3 years in 2019, and 9.7 years in 2025. This, too, is likely to be due to austerity measures and uncertainty among buyers, as Jérôme Pahud explains: “People seem to be keeping their cars longer or using used cars more and more.”

The people of Ticino treat themselves to the newest cars. In Switzerland’s sunniest canton, cars are 8.4 years old on average. The average is 8.7 years in the canton of Zug and 9 years in Jura. The oldest cars on Switzerland’s roads are registered in Bern, Schaffhausen, and Appenzell Ausserrhoden, They are 10.3 to 10.6 years old, i.e. two years older than those in Ticino.

The analysis shows AXA’s fleet as at December 31, 2025, and includes all passenger cars insured with AXA (including company cars but excluding fleet contracts). The value of a car is based on the list price, including options. The average distance traveled is based on the number of kilometers that policyholders drive with the vehicle each year as stated when the contract is concluded.