10:55 am, December 2, 2025
Used car prices dipped only slightly in November, while the market briefly stepped back in time to the days of traditional brands Ford and Vauxhall leading the way, new data shows.
Latest figures from Percayso Vehicle Intelligence shows that while prices in the used car retail market rose in September and October, November experienced a ‘gentle’ dip.
Average prices as the three-year-old mark slipped by 0.6%, or £140.
Commenting on the data, automotive consultant Derren Martin believed it shows the market in good health.
Speaking on Car Dealer Live – which you can watch at the top of this story – Martin said: ‘I would summarise this as being a pretty strong month, bearing in mind that quarter four is run-into to Christmas when consumers don’t necessarily focus on buying a used car. Obviously, it’s sometimes necessity purchase, but generally, attention switches to the expense of Christmas.’
Fuel-type performance highlighted a continued preference for internal-combustion models.
Petrol cars were the strongest fuel type, dropping only very gently by 0.2%, while EVs and hybrids dropped by around a one per cent.
‘Diesels were broadly in line with petrol, meaning ICE cars have performed probably the best,’ Martin said, framing the changes as largely seasonal.
Body styles also produced a surprise winner.
Despite SUVs accounting for around half of the market, Percayso noted they fell back slightly, with values down by 0.8%.
Estate cars, by contrast, were the strongest performing body style, up by 0.3%. Martin attributed to scarcity: ‘There’s not many of them around anymore, but if you want one, you’re prepared to pay for it.’
MPVs saw the steepest decline, dropping 3%, something Martin linked to summer demand unwind.
The standout brand story for November was the strength of traditional volume makers.
Vauxhall was the strongest performer, with values actually increasing by 1.7% at the three-year age point. Ford was the second strongest, rising by 0.7%, followed closely by Toyota at 0.5%.
Conversely, luxury marques Land Rover and Volvo saw the most significant declines, both dropping by around 1.5%. Percayso concluded the falls were due to Land Rover peaking after its summer highs, while Volvo values were pressured by ‘increased volumes of competing pre-registered stock’.
Remarking on the return to the days of rivals Ford and Vauxhall leading the pack, Martin said: ‘If you want to go and replace a Fiesta, you’re going to probably go and buy something similar,” he said. That’s probably why they’ve risen.’
However, he cautioned against reading too much into a single month.
While prices for Ford and Vauxhall held firm, Martin warned: ‘I wouldn’t expect values to keep going up… I don’t think it’s going to be a long-term trend.’
Instead, he suggested November reflected necessity buying and stable supply rather than a broader reordering of market demand.
Looking ahead, Martin expects traditional ‘seasonal softness’ in December before consumer interest returns.
‘I would expect a bit of a gentle decline as we head into Christmas,’ he said, followed by renewed activity ‘from Boxing Day’ and into January.
