New car performance on Auto Trader reaches record levels

According to the latest data from Auto Trader, the UK’s largest marketplace for new and used cars, since the reopening of showrooms in England on 1 June and Northern Ireland on 8 June, a record number of new car leads have been sent to retailers.

From 31 May to 17 June, the number of new car leads sent to retailers is up 71%, marking the strongest period for leads since Auto Trader’s new car stock platform launched in early 2019. Compared to 17 March, the week before the government announced its lockdown measures, new car leads have increased 97%.

After an initial dip, consumer demand remained relatively stable throughout the lockdown period, but as soon as showrooms in England and Northern Ireland were able to reopen there’s been a huge spike in traffic to Auto Trader, with an average of 2.1 million visits to its marketplace every day. This has translated into a significant increase in retailer engagement with both new and used car retailers.

During the week ending 14 June, the number of used car advert views increased 24% year-on-year, whilst used car leads sent to retailers increased 95%.

Commenting on the performance, Ian Plummer, Auto Trader’s Commercial Director, said:

“Since launching the new car proposition we’ve seen it go from strength to strength, and we’re proud to feature over 50,000 new cars and vans on the platform - representing a third of new car retailers in the UK, including nine out of 10 of the largest dealer groups.”

“The huge increase in leads we’ve recorded for both new and used cars highlights just how dramatically the retail landscape has changed. Pre-COVID-19, customers could turn up at a dealership without leaving a digital footprint or a lead, but that’s now very unlikely, with the vast majority of people first researching and making an enquiry online. It means that for today’s car buyers, if it’s not on your digital forecourt, then it’s not for sale.”