Average used car prices suffer seasonal dip
Average used car prices fell two per cent to £7,280 at BCA in May.
Demand for models aged three to five years remained strong, while interest continued to rise for electric vehicles.
However, older, higher mileage vehicles was the most challenging sector of the market during the month.
BCA COO Stuart Pearson said: “History tells us that April and May are two of the most difficult months for retailers to negotiate, so unsurprisingly it was a cautious month that many will be glad to see the back of. While it hasn’t been a particularly easy few weeks, we need to remind ourselves that traditionally May was always one of the toughest months for the used car sector.
“But even with the external pressures on the used car sector in 2026, sold volumes remain well ahead of last year. Buyer engagement remains high and stock churn is healthy for those that chose to move with the market.
“We’ve seen a positive lift in demand into the first week of June, and a number of sellers have been very proactive in making the most of this and get ahead of what is expected to be a significant influx of part-exchanges as we move into the month.”
