11:42 am, April 12, 2021
Prices of used diesel cars reached a new high during the 2021 Covid-19 lockdown, new data suggests.
Prices rose to a record of £14,769 from £13,847 in Q4 2020, a rise of 6.6 per cent (£922) at an average age and mileage of 33 months and 25,437 miles, according to Autorola’s latest online remarketing report.
The figures also show wholesale diesel sales reached record levels for the second successive quarter comprising 43.6 per cent of all used cars Autorola sold online during Q1.
Hybrid used car sales were also strong during Q1 accounting for five per cent of Autorola volumes reinforcing their increased desirability.
Hybrid prices fell back slightly to £14,812 on the back of a rise in average age and mileage to 35 months and 24,797 miles which compares favourably with EVs which saw a fall in both volumes and prices during Q1.
EV prices fell by 19.6 per cent (£3,391) from £19,978 in Q4 2020 to £16,047 in Q1 2021 as average age rose from 24 to 27 months.
Diesels have been written off by many simply because new car sales have fallen dramatically, but in the used market demand and prices have been very strong for the past 12 months
Autorola said it saw EV sales halve during the quarter as the trade cleared out its less desirable stock.
EV prices continued to find any level of consistency having been as low as £11,100 and as high as £19,900 during the past 15 months.
Jon Mitchell, Autorola UK’s group sales director, said: ‘Diesels have been written off by many simply because new car sales have fallen dramatically, but in the used market demand and prices have been very strong for the past 12 months. We are likely to see this continue as used stocks begin to fall over the coming years.
‘The popularity of hybrids is becoming very consistent, while EV prices continue their rollercoaster ride and show no signs of stability.’
Autorola saw used petrol prices remain consistent in Q1, rising by an average of 2.6 per cent (£286) from £10,706 in Q4 2020 to £10,992 as average age rose from 32 to 34 months and average mileage fell from 19,336 miles to 17,961 miles.
Petrol cars accounted for 51.4 per cent of Autorola’s total sales in the quarter, a fall from Q4.
