Used car market nears pre-Covid levels – SMMT
The UK’s used car market grew by 1.7% in the second quarter of 2025 to 1,996,116 transactions.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), this was the 10th consecutive quarter of growth and took used car sales in the first half of the year to within one per cent of pre-pandemic levels, with 4,017,106 transactions.
Petrol was the best-selling fuel type in the second quarter with 1,134,387 sales, up 1.5%, while diesel fell 4.3% to 664,644 units.
Meanwhile, just 9.7% of used car sales were electric, with hybrid transactions increasing by 27.7% to 100,127 units and taking five per cent of the market and plug-in hybrids up by 10.3% to 24,370 units and a 1.2% market share.
Pure electrics rose 40% to 68,721 sales and 3.4% of the market.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Surpassing the four million half-year milestone for the first time since 2019 shows the UK’s used car market is building back momentum. That’s good news for the industry and for motorists who benefit from more choice and affordability across a range of higher tech, cleaner vehicles, notably in the emerging electric vehicle sector.
“To maintain this trajectory, a thriving new car market must be delivered across the segments, along with accelerated investment into the charging network to give every driver the ability to switch.”
