THE 2012 BMW 1 Series was the fastest set of wheels off the UK’s forecourts in August, according to research from Auto Trader UK.
The premium hatchback proved a big hit with buyers and in petrol automatic guise it took just an average of 19 days to sell.
Taking second spot is a regular visitor to the UK’s fastest-selling cars, the Toyota Aygo. The 2014 model with petrol engine and automatic gearbox took 21 days to find a buyer, and this is the fourth time this year the compact city car has made an appearance in the UK’s top ten quickest-selling cars.
Meanwhile, the Fiat 500L, the larger five-door version of the extremely popular 500, pops up for the second time in the nation’s rapid sellers to rank third. The diesel automatic version took 21 days from forecourt to buyer – the same time as the Aygo.
However, it was crossovers that continued to dominate the sales charts in August. They occupied five of the top 10 spots nationally and were the quickest to sell in seven of the UK’s regions.
The Qashqai proved to be popular as a used buy but it’s the rarer seven-seat model, the Qashqai +2, that ranks as fifth on the fastest-selling chart.
Karolina Edwards-Smajda, retailer and consumer products director at Auto Trader, said: ‘Crossovers continue to be highly sought after by buyers, as our fastest-selling car data and the SMMT’s new car registration figures confirm. But as the UK’s top three fastest-selling cars prove, it’s not always easy to tell what type of car will always prove popular with consumers.
‘Retailers who place data at the heart of their business will be able to glean insights as to what cars are desirable in their area and where to price them to the market to attract buyers, and these insights can supplement a retailer’s own expertise and knowledge.’
She added: ‘With consumers all looking for something different, it is difficult to tell which vehicles are particularly in demand in a given location at a given time. Employing data and a scientific approach means you will always know what cars to put on your forecourt and how to price them to attract buyers and sell cars quickly. A faster speed of sale means more profit per car and more sales overall, leading to more sales and more profit in a year.’
See the table in full below for the complete top 10 fastest-selling used cars in August.
Rank* |
Description |
Average Days to Sell | Average Price Position | Average Retail Price |
| 1 | 2012 BMW 1 Series Hatchback Petrol Automatic | 19 | 100.10% | £12,999 |
| 2 | 2014 Toyota AYGO Hatchback Petrol Semi-Automatic | 21 | 98.17% | £6,713 |
| 3 | 2013 Fiat 500L Hatchback Diesel Automatic | 21 | 98.75% | £8,024 |
| 4 | 2013 Seat Altea XL MPV Diesel Automatic | 22 | 97.65% | £8,094 |
| 5 | 2013 Nissan Qashqai+2 Hatchback Petrol Automatic | 23 | 99.12% | £14,243 |
| 6 | 2009 Mazda Mazda6 Hatchback Diesel Manual | 24 | 92.87% | £4,133 |
| 7 | 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV Diesel Automatic | 25 | 99.87% | £15,920 |
| 8 | 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV Diesel Automatic | 25 | 99.70% | £18,459 |
| 9 | 2014 Nissan Qashqai Hatchback Diesel Automatic | 25 | 98.98% | £17,513 |
| 10 | 2015 Ford Kuga SUV Petrol Manual | 25 | 99.44% | £17,201 |
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