Second-hand car buyers go for superminis over SUVs

Top 10 list of best-selling used cars is dominated by hatches, not SUVs Nine of the 10 best-selling used cars in the UK are still traditional hatchbacks and superminis, in stark contrast to the popularity of SUVs among buyers of new cars. The greater sales potential and profitability of crossovers and SUVs – together with the arrival of margin-slashing safety and emissions regulations – have threatened the commercial viability of superminis and small family hatchbacks in recent years. As a result, many such models have been withdrawn from sale as their manufacturers focus instead on larger, higher-riding models. This trend is reflected in the evolution of the top 10 new cars sales chart. In 2015, just two crossovers featured – the Vauxhall Mokka and Nissan Qashqai – and the chart was comfortably topped by the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Focus. Ten years later, the Qashqai is one of eight SUVs in the UK’s top 10 list of best-selling new cars, with the Ford Puma and Kia Sportage the two most popular models of 2025 so far. The fourth-placed Vauxhall Corsa and the Volkswagen Golf, at number six, are the only non-SUVs to feature in the top 10. However, almost the opposite is true of today’s second-hand market, where hatchbacks dominate and the Qashqai is the only SUV to feature in the top 10 best-sellers for the first half of the year. Superminis remain the best-selling used car by body type and the Ford Fiesta was the country’s best-selling used car in the first six months of 2025. Despite Ford withdrawing the Fiesta from sale in 2023, almost 1.4 million Fiestas were still registered in the UK at the end of last year, which means it remains the most common car on the nation’s roads. These latest figures suggest there is still strong demand for the sort of small combustion cars that are being forced out of production for legislative and economic reasons – a view that is reinforced by their relatively strong residual values. A three-year-old Fiesta with 30,000 miles in Titanium trim is worth around £11,500, compared with an equivalent Puma at £13,500. While the Fiesta cost £18,655 when new in 2022, giving a depreciation rate of 38%, the Puma Titanium was £24,940 when new, a 46% decline in value. As well as naming the UK’s latest best-selling used cars, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed that second-hand car sales rose above four million units for a half-year period for the first time since the pandemic. By contrast, new car sales have yet to recover to pre-Covid levels. SMMT CEO Mike Hawes said: “Surpassing the four million half-year milestone for the fi rst time since 2019 shows the UK’s used car market is building back momentum. To maintain this trajectory, a thriving new car market must be delivered as well.” What about used EV sales? Between April and June, used EV sales grew 40% year on year – the biggest powertrain rise – to 68,721. This accounted for 3.4% of the market. Tesla’s Model 3 was the best-seller. The SMMT says further growth will hinge on uptake being driven by factors such as the Electric Car Grant, which will result in more EVs filtering through to the used market over time. Meanwhile, sales of used hybrids and PHEVs also increased by 27.7% (to 100,127 units) and 10.3% (to 24,370) respectively.

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