Mercedes-Benz GLA is UK's fastest-selling used car as SUVs fly off dealer forecourts

11:11 am, June 23, 2021

The Mercedes-Benz GLA is the UK’s fastest-selling used car while the Skoda Citigo sees the highest uplift in advert views, new data shows.

Figures published by Auto Trader show that GLAs registered in 2018, fitted with a diesel engine and an automatic gearbox are flying off forecourts.

Dealers are reporting 2018 GLAs are taking on average of 23 days to sell – that’s down by four days compared to May when the baby Benz was also that month’s best-seller but took on average 27 days to shift.

Auto Trader’s Fastest Selling Index, which tracks the potential speed at which vehicles will sell based on live supply and demand in the market, also showed demand for SUVs remains strong.

Eight of the 10 fastest-selling cars were SUVs with the Ford Mustang and Audi A4 Avant being the exceptions.

Auto Trader’s latest market data indicates that demand for SUVs on the marketplace is up 21.6 per cent, the highest level of demand for any body type, with supply down 18.9 per cent.

The firm’s data also showed the market health for SUVs is a healthy 49.9 per cent.

The GLA has also seen a strong performance in advert views on Auto Trader’s marketplace, with the compact SUV racking up 662,910 advert views over the course of the last month.

However, it’s the Skoda Citigo that has been seeing a surge in attention from buyers with advert views for the city car up by 68.84 per cent over the last month –the largest growth of any model on Auto Trader.

The top 10 list of vehicles by advert view also includes three alternative fuel vehicles with the recently released all electric Mazda MX-30 and Volkswagen ID.3 being joined by the hybrid Toyota Prius+ indicating a growing appetite among consumers for alternative fuel vehicles.

Car dealers are putting up used car prices as top 20 models soaring in value are revealed

This is further supported by Auto Trader’s market data which shows growing buyer interest in alternative fuel vehicles, with demand for electric and hybrid powertrain vehicles now higher than internal combustion engine vehicles, with demand for petrol up only 5.2 per cent and diesel up 1.5 per cent.

Commenting on the Index, Auto Trader’s director of commercial products, Karolina Edwards-Smajda, said: ‘The extension of lockdown restrictions seems to have done little to slow the strong buyer demand we continue to see across the UK.

‘We’ve seen the days to turn of the fastest selling cars drop and average used car prices continuing to rise, with last week’s seeing the 58th consecutive week of price growth.

‘It’s crucial for retailers to continue to keep up to date with the ever-changing market and ensure that they are pricing to market to maximise profitability.’