Golf owners lead scrappage demand

Auto Trader, the UK’s largest automotive marketplace for new and used cars, reports that the Volkswagen Golf is currently the most popular car owned by motorists considering manufacturer scrappage schemes.

Car manufacturers are yet to report on the success of the newly available scrappage schemes, but data from Auto Trader’s recently launched online scrappage tool gives some early insights into the most popular cars being considered for scrappage.

Of the top ten make and models currently being processed by Auto Trader’s online tool, the Volkswagen Golf makes up 17%, with Volkswagen as a brand accounting for 30% of the top models and the Passat and Polo also featuring in the top ten.

In contrast, when it came to car manufacturer brands, Ford was the most popular for motorists considering using their vehicle for a scrappage scheme. Ford made up 33% of the top ten most popular models used by Auto Trader’s online tool so far, with the Ford Focus, Fiesta and Mondeo all featuring in the top ten.

Surprisingly, despite the announcements of all 17 of the manufacturer scrappage schemes coming at a time of such scrutiny for diesel vehicles, the data reveals that of the 17,000 car registrations being submitted by motorists, there was an even-split for diesel (51%) and petrol (49%) vehicles.

Ivan Aistrop, of Auto Trader’s editorial team, said, ‘We know the diesel debate has confused motorists and concerned many diesel owners who are worried about being penalized for driving an older diesel car. As a marketplace that sits at the heart of the car buying and selling process for motorists in the UK, we are making developments like scrappage schemes easier to understand for motorists, and our new scrappage tool is a quick and efficient way of making 17 unique and detailed offers easily accessible and relevant for each car owner.’