The UK’s used car sales market did not get off to the best start in 2026, with transactions remaining relatively stable after the first three months of the year.
However, while slightly fewer cars changed hands, an increasing car parc in 2025 suggests that drivers are instead holding on to their cars for longer. This has caused average vehicle ages to rise, a move that will benefit the independent aftermarket.
According to the latest figures from the SMMT, 2,016,232 transactions took place between January and March 2026. This was a 0.2% decline compared to the first quarter of last year. Auto Repair Focus analysis shows that this equated to just 4,758 fewer used car sales in the period.
The result did end a 12-quarter growth streak that dated back to the first three months of 2022, when the market was recovering from the effects of COVID-19.
But as used car sales remain flat, there was increasing interest in full hybrids, and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). With used cars most likely to enter independent workshops, any improvements in these areas suggest a likelihood that more EV drivers will seek out garages for service, maintenance and repair work.
March pulls used car sales down
Auto Repair Focus has taken a deep dive into the latest data from the SMMT, and analysed it against information from previous years to provide a detailed look at the current state of the used car sales market.
The year got off to a good start, with January seeing a 1.7% increase in used car sales volumes year on year. In total, 670,797 passenger cars changed hands in the month, a rise of 11,115 units.
However, February set a tone for the period. With 652,190 transactions, this was a 0.1% increase, with just 407 extra units compared to the second month of 2025.
March was the worst-performing month of the quarter, as used car sales volumes fell 2.3%, wiping out the efforts from the first two months of the year. As the new-car market experiences a plate change, March is usually the best month for used car volumes. However, the 693,245 sales were down by 16,280 units.
It is March that suggests drivers are holding on to their cars. While the new-car market improved by 6.6% in the third month of the year, likely increasing supply into the used car sector, this was not enough to tempt buyers to dealers. Whether used car sales can pick up in the rest of the year remains to be seen.
Petrol remains popular
Petrol remains the most popular fuel type when it comes to used car sales. Their transactions remained fairly stable in the first quarter of the year, with just a 0.2% dip. In total, 1,147,696 models changed hands, a fall of just 2,159 units. The powertrain made up 56.9% of the total volume.
Diesel saw a 7.3% fall in transactions, with 629,987 models finding new owners in the three month period. With a 31.2% market share, the fuel type is still a popular choice amongst buyers.
Data from the new car market suggests that these internal combustion engine (ICE) models are likely adding to the ageing car parc. Both petrol and diesel have struggled over the last few years, with falling registrations figures. This impacts supply into the used car market. While petrol is still the dominant fuel in the UK, diesel has seen a dramatic decline.
To underline this point, after three months of 2023, just 19,652 new diesel cars had been registered in the UK. With the average movement of a car into the used market at around three years, that means around 610,000 of the used diesels sold in the first quarter of this year are older.
Record results for BEVs
It was BEVs that saw the biggest jump in used transactions year on year. The powertrain saw a jump of 32% compared to 2025, as 86,943 models moved to new owners. This represented a 4.3% share of total used car volumes, up from 3.3% a year prior.
While this may not sound like a lot, it is worth noting that the UK’s new BEV market only rose to prominence in the last couple of years. Older BEVs may feature slightly older technologies, reduced ranges, but could prove popular with drivers starting out on their electric vehicle journey. With over two million BEVs now on UK roads, it may also be that drivers are holding on to models beyond the three-year average.
Full hybrids also saw strong growth in the quarter, up 29.6% with 128,039 transactions. This was enough for a 6.4% share, according to Auto Repair Focus calculations.
But it was not all plain sailing for electric models. Sales of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) fell by 14.9%, the steepest decline of any fuel type. This was based on smaller numbers, however, with 20,021 transactions between January and March 2026, a 1% market share.
“The UK’s used car market remained flat in the first quarter, held back by weakness in March in comparison with a very strong performance in 2025,” commented SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes. “Better news is the record demand for used electric vehicles, as growing choice from manufacturers feeds through into the second-hand market.
“High fuel prices, given the conflict in Iran, may increase demand even further, but to maintain this momentum, every fiscal and policy lever must be pulled to ensure a healthy new car market that delivers the zero emission vehicles in volume to flow through to the used market.”
Ford Fiesta tops UK used car sales
Once again, the Ford Fiesta proved to be the sought-after car when it came to used car sales. In total 76,754 units changed hands, impressive considering the model has not been on sale since 2023.
With the Fiesta topping figures in the car parc, it appears demand for the small Ford is going nowhere. It may be for this reason that the carmaker is considering relaunching the Fiesta as a BEV model, as part of a new partnership with Renault.
The Vauxhall Corsa was second, with 62,201 transactions, while the Volkswagen Golf took third with 56,236 sales in the quarter.
Following the trend in the new car market, black and grey remained the best-selling colours, up 0.4% and 2.8%, with white back in the top three after 3.1% growth to overtake blue.
Cream recorded the strongest growth, up 11.7%, although volumes were small at 1,399 transactions, and pink recorded the steepest decline, down 17.8% to 1,214 units. Maroon was the least popular, with just 1,108 cars changing hands.
