Dealers optimistic despite ‘unsteady’ UK economy
UK dealers are optimistic for the fourth quarter of the year despite nearly a third expressing a lack of confidence in the UK economy.
The latest Startline Used Car Tracker found that 28% of dealerships said the economy felt ‘unsteady’, with high overhead costs and stock availability also remaining an issue.
Despite this, 61% of dealers said they are having a strong year with 60% optimistic about the fourth quarter.
That optimism is being driven by a range of factors, with 43% saying stock availability is improving, 38% reporting higher consumer confidence, and 36% noting growing demand for electric vehicles.
Dealer optimism
Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “We’ve been seeing convincing signs of dealer optimism in our Tracker research in recent months, but this is perhaps the strongest vote of confidence seen so far.
“Our reading of this data is that large numbers of dealers believe that some of the biggest issues they have faced in recent times, such as stock availability, electrification and consumer confidence, are all noticeably improving.
“This is not a sentiment that is uniform across the sector, but it’s clear that for the majority of used car retailers 2025 as a whole is shaping up to be a good year, despite the headwinds they have been encountering.”
