SMMT Report Record Used Car Sales in Q1

The UK used car market got off to a strong start in 2017. SMMT data for Quarter 1 shows a record number of vehicles were sold. 2,133,956 used cars changed hands in the first three months of the year. This is 3.4% more than in 2016 resulting in the biggest-ever volume seen in Q1.

Diesel and petrol sales remained steady, with gains of 5.6% and 1.6% respectively.

Motorists took advantage of the wide range of alternatively fuelled hybrid, electric and hydrogen cars entering the second hand market.  Registrations in this sector rose 43.2% to 21,320 units. This segment accounted for 1.0% of the market, compared with 0.7% last year.

The supermini segment continued to be the most popular accounting for over a third of the used car market.  However, the mini segment was the fastest growing with sales up 13.2%.