The speed in which used cars are selling is a good barometer of the underlying health of the used car market, and since the start of the year, we’ve seen them leave retailers’ forecourts at a record pace. We’ve also seen a significant uptick in the number of visits to our marketplace over the quarter, reaching an all-time record of 89.1 million in March. Combined, these metrics serve to highlight the ongoing strength of the used car market and the very robust levels of demand from consumers. Whilst our outlook for the rest of the year is confident, retailers do face an incredibly nuanced and complex market; as ever, the devil is in the detail, and I’d urge retailers to analyse the data on a granular level to navigate the market and identify the stock that provides the most profitable opportunities for their forecourt.

According to the latest data from Auto Trader, the Peugeot 3008 is currently the UK’s fastest-selling used car, taking an average of just 12 days to leave retailers’ forecourts. Such is the demand for the petrol-hybrid version of the French SUV, which was crowned Auto Trader’s New Car of the Year in 2019, it’s leaving forecourts two weeks faster than the current national average.

So far this month, it’s taking an average of 26 days for used cars to sell across the UK, which is one day faster than the same period last year, and just one day slower than March 2024, which at an average of 25 days, was the fastest pace ever recorded by Auto Trader. It highlights the ongoing consumer demand for used cars, which was also reflected in the record 89.1 million cross platform visits to Auto Trader in March.

Underpinning the strong consumer appetite for hybrid vehicles specifically, the Peugeot is joined by a further five on this month’s list of fastest sellers, whilst across the retail market as whole, hybrid vehicles are now the fastest selling of any fuel type, currently taking just 24 days to sell. So far this month on Auto Trader, levels of consumer demand for hybrid models (based on advert views and searches) is up a whopping 55% year-on-year.

Used petrol cars are taking an average of 25 days to sell, followed by diesel at 28, and electric cars are currently taking around 29 days. However, highlighting the considerable nuance in the used car market, and the significant variances across different segments and cohorts, electric vehicles (EV) aged 3-5 are currently taking an average of just 24 days to sell, putting them on par with hybrids. More broadly, demand for used electric cars on Auto Trader continues to far outpace that of their internal combustion engine counterparts, with current levels up 59% YoY compared to a more conservative growth of 7.7% for petrol and a decline of -6.9% for diesel. Demand for EVs aged 3-5 years old is up a massive 133% YoY.

Looking at the data by age, those aged between 10-15 years old are currently taking the longest to sell, which at 32 days is more than a week slower than the fastest cohort: 3–5-year-old cars are leaving forecourts in just 24 days. Despite a positive increase in overall demand on Auto Trader, up 2.8% YoY, this more mature age group is recording a large increase in supply growth (11.2% YoY), second only to those nearly new vehicles (46.8% YoY).

According to the data, volume cars are currently taking the least amount of time to sell, leaving forecourts on average in 25 days, compared to the 28 days for premium brands.

Current fastest-selling used cars (all fuel types)

Rank	Make	Model	Body Type	Fuel Type	Age Cohort (years)	Average days to sell
1	Peugeot	3008	SUV	Petrol Hybrid	up to 1 Year	12
2	Mercedes-Benz	GLC Class	Coupe	Diesel Hybrid	up to 1 Year	12.5
3	CUPRA	Formentor	SUV	Petrol	3 to 5 Years	13.5
4	Mercedes-Benz	CLA Class	Saloon	Petrol Hybrid	up to 1 Year	14
5	SEAT	Leon	Hatchback	Petrol Plug-in Hybrid	3 to 5 Years	14
6	Ford	Grand Tourneo Connect	MPV	Diesel	up to 1 Year	14.5
7	SEAT	Leon	Estate	Petrol Plug-in Hybrid	1 to 3 Years	14.5
8	Ford	Focus	Estate	Diesel	up to 1 Year	15
9	Volvo	XC60	SUV	Diesel	1 to 3 Years	15
10	Hyundai	TUCSON	SUV	Petrol Hybrid	3 to 5 Years	15.5

Current slowest-selling used cars (all fuel types)

Rank	Make	Model	Body Type	Fuel Band	Age Cohort (years)	Average days to sell
1	Citroen	C5 X	Hatchback	Petrol Plug-in Hybrid	1 to 3 Years	139
2	Alfa Romeo	Spider	Convertible	Petrol	10 to 15 Years	133
3	DS AUTOMOBILES	DS 9	Saloon	Petrol Plug-in Hybrid	1 to 3 Years	132.5
4	Alfa Romeo	Brera	Coupe	Petrol	10 to 15 Years	132
5	Citroen	C5 X	Hatchback	Petrol Plug-in Hybrid	up to 1 Year	126
6	Audi	Q5	SUV	Petrol Plug-in Hybrid	up to 1 Year	117.5
7	Audi	A7	Hatchback	Petrol	up to 1 Year	110.5
8	Bentley	Continental	Saloon	Petrol	10 to 15 Years	108.5
9	Lexus	LS 600h	Saloon	Petrol Hybrid	10 to 15 Years	106
10	Citroen	e-Berlingo	MPV	Electric	1 to 3 Years	105

Based on last four weeks

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