9:39 am, November 10, 2025
The used car market grew to over two million transactions in Q3 with second-hand EVs enjoying record uptake.
That is according to new data from the SMMT which has reported 2,021,265 used car sales in the three months to the end of September.
The result is up 2.8% on the same point last year and marks the best Q3 result for the sector since 2021.
It is also the 11th consecutive quarter of growth, with experts hailing the ‘healthy supply of stock’ coming from the new car market.
Throughout the period, BEV uptake increased by 44.4% to 80,614 units – making it the fastest growing powertrain. They also took home a record market share of 4%, as one in 25 buyers made the switch to all electric motoring.
Meanwhile, petrol remained the best-selling fuel type in the quarter, with transactions rising 1.9% to 1,145,148 units, as diesel fell 2.8% to 658,664 units.
Overall, internal combustion engine vehicles accounted for 89.2% of all cars changing hands, a slight fall on this time last year.
Sales of standard hybrid vehicles rose by 30% to 107,727 units, increasing market share to 5.3%, while plug-in hybrid transactions also grew, by 2.0% to 23,480 units, comprising 1.2% of the market.
Elsewhere, dealers found that superminis were the most popular used models, making almost a third (32%) of all transactions.
Across the board, supermini sales were up 1.8% to 649,859 units, followed by lower medium cars (543,094 units), which increased by 2%.
Dual purpose vehicles also grew in popularity, with sales up 9.3% to 339,628 units – the highest growth of any segment.
Specialist sports cars experienced the greatest decline of 8.6% to 55,088 units, followed by upper medium and executive, which fell by 2.8% and 0.9% respectively.
The best-selling used car of the period was the Ford Fiesta, on 78,062 transactions, with black proving the most popular used car colour.
Top 10 models in Q3 2025
- Ford Fiesta — 78,062
- Vauxhall Corsa — 64,585
- Volkswagen Golf — 58,412
- Ford Focus — 55,888
- BMW 3 Series — 39,935
- Volkswagen Polo — 39,706
- Mini — 39,115
- Vauxhall Astra — 38,462
- Nissan Qashqai — 36,933
- Audi A3 — 32,687
Despite the positivity, experts have warned that plans to scrap Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS) could end up ‘stifling’ supply.
Reacting to the findings, SMMT Chief Executive, Mike Hawes,said, ‘With used EV uptake at a record high, a robust used car market is essential for fleet renewal, and helps make electrified mobility more accessible for more motorists.
‘However, overall consumer choice and affordability are at risk if the government scraps Employee Car Ownership Schemes, a move that would stifle supply of the very latest vehicles into the used market and cut Exchequer revenue.
‘Britain needs fiscal policy that promotes rather than prevents economic growth, social mobility and decarbonisation.’
What does the industry say?
‘Used market is firmly returning to normal’
‘These figures mark a major milestone for the market. Year-to-date, we’re tracking very closely behind the same period in 2019, and we’re on target to reach the highest volume of combined new and used car sales in six years.
‘The used market is firmly returning to normal, and if it wasn’t for the lingering impact of the pandemic and the reduced supply of stock due to the significant supply chain disruption, I’ve no doubt it would be even further ahead.
‘It’s testament to its huge resilience, and the unwavering demand for car ownership, which we can see in the near quarter of a billion visits to our platform during Q3 alone.
‘While the overall used car market is resilient, the Government’s proposed tax on electric vehicles will likely reverberate across both new and used cars.
‘Over recent months, demand for used EVs has surged on Autotrader, particularly for the more affordable 3-5-year-old models.
‘As we’ve seen consistently on the road to 2030, drivers respond very positively to incentives and have often shied away from EVs when things like energy prices have risen in past years.
‘Anything that puts up running costs may well risk the impressive and hard-earned momentum in consumer demand.’
Ian Plummer, Auto Trader’s chief commercial officer
‘Good news for the government’
‘A difficult economic climate is keeping consumer confidence relatively subdued, which in turn is seeing buyers look for cheaper options in the used car market.
‘This is helped by the influx of more diverse options among second hand vehicles which includes an increasing pool of electric vehicle (EV) stock – aided largely by Chinese brands increasing their market share with more affordable vehicles.
‘The rising uptake of used EVs is good news for the Government, which is looking to encourage the switch to electric ahead of the 2030 ban on the sale of new internal combustion engines.
‘However, with eyes on the upcoming Budget amid rumours of a pence-per-mile tax scheme for EVs, it must tread carefully not to remove any incentives.
‘The development of the required charging network remains crucial, and any taxes may provide more reason to stick to vehicles with internal combustion engines for the time being.’
John Cassidy, sales managing director at Close Brothers Motor Finance
‘Natural consequence of a stagnant new car market’
‘The strong and sustained demand for used cars that we’ve observed through Q3 is perhaps a natural consequence of a stagnant new car market driven by price inflation and complexities around the ZEV mandate, as well as consumer response to a fragile economic outlook.
‘At Carwow, we’re seeing a consistent rise in the proportion of visitors to our sites who are considering used cars. In the first quarter of 2025, 76% of visitors to our platform included used cars in their search, up from just 25% in 2021.
‘In Q3, this trend has steadily continued, with our data showing a 17% increase in used-car page views across the platform compared to the second quarter of the year.
‘This increasing consumer interest in used cars on our platform is manifesting as tangible leads, with the total volume of enquiries generated via the Carwow platform and delivered to retailers in Q3 increasing by 27% compared to the previous quarter.’
Will Jackson, Head of Commercial at Carwow
‘Electric Car Grant has stimulated demand in the used market’
‘We’ve seen impressive growth in the used car market during the first three quarters of 2025, helped by the significant price differential versus new for many of the most in-demand models and segments.
‘Our own sales data shows a 52% increase in the number of vehicles sold in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, across internal combustion and electric powertrains combined.
‘While the government’s Electric Car Grant is only available for new EVs, it has nonetheless stimulated demand in the used market, too.
‘EVs accounted for 17.8% of all Big Motoring World sales in Q3, a period in which the Group achieved record overall sales. According to our sales data, the pace of EV adoption increased by 4% year-on-year in Q3, and by 16% compared with Q3 2023.
‘We are already actively seeking greater volumes of used EV stock from our trade partners to ensure we can meet growing demand into Q1 next year, anticipating only a modest slowdown over the festive period.’
Laurence Vaughan, CEO at Big Motoring World
