9:09 am, January 2, 2019
ONLINE car marketplace Auto Trader has revealed the Volkswagen Golf was the most searched-for car of 2018, knocking the BMW 3 Series off the top spot where it has stood for the past eight years.
Since 2010, the BMW 3 Series has reigned supreme as the UK’s most searched-for car, but as of December 2018, searches for the Volkswagen Golf have surpassed it every single month – totalling more than 42 million searches between January and November 2018.
During the same period, the BMW 3 Series was searched for almost 40 million times on Auto Trader, but data from the website for December shows that the Volkswagen Golf continues to lead from the front.
Both popular cars have a great history, with the Volkswagen Golf launched in 1974 and the BMW 3 Series a year later in 1975. Both models are now on their seventh generation and appeal to a broad range of car buyers for a breadth of requirements.
But the tight contest between the two German models highlights a bigger trend seen within Auto Trader’s most searched-for cars, which is an increasing dominance of German premium cars that now make up eight out of Auto Trader’s top 10 most searched-for cars of the year.
|
Auto Trader’s Most Searched-For Cars (2018) |
|
| 1 | VOLKSWAGEN GOLF |
| 2 | BMW 3 SERIES |
| 3 | MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS |
| 4 | FORD FOCUS |
| 5 | BMW 1 SERIES |
| 6 | FORD FIESTA |
| 7 | BMW 5 SERIES |
| 8 | AUDI A3 |
| 9 | MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS |
| 10 | MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS |
Mercedes-Benz, which features three models in the top 10, held on to third place for the second year running with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The Audi A3 also held on to the same spot at number eight for the second year running but remains the only model from the Audi brand to feature in the top 10.
A spokesperson for Auto Trader, said: ‘After a long reign as the UK’s most searched-for car, the BMW 3 Series finally surrenders to the Volkswagen Golf in 2018. But with both of these brands releasing newer models in 2019, the battle for the title of Britain’s most popular car is far from over.
‘The results show that premium models continue to be a popular choice as they have become more accessible for more buyers through competitive finance options for new and used cars. Yet despite this trend, the search results highlight how the Ford Focus and Fiesta continue to be hugely popular for mass car buyers every single year.
‘With new models and more EV versions launching next year, it will be interesting to see how more choice of electric and hybrid vehicles might affect searches at a mass level, to show a significant sign that more UK car buyers might be tempted to make the move to electric.’
MORE: Jason Cranswick: Why a burning platform can be a good thing for business
MORE: Renault Grand Scenic is November’s fastest-selling used car
MORE: Demand for used car stock continues in November as new car supply falters
