Merc takes the podium as the GLA wins as September’s fastest selling car

Not content with their success around Formula One tracks this season, Mercedes-Benz was first past another chequered flag in September; the 2015 GLA Class (diesel manual) took first place as the UK’s fastest selling used car, taking an average of just 15 days to race off forecourts.

It wasn’t the only top 10 placing for the iconic German brand last month. The 2016 A-Class (diesel manual) was the sixth fastest to sell, taking an average of 20 days to turn, and the 2016 GLA Class (diesel manual) was ninth, also taking 20 days to sell.

Despite the ongoing demonization of diesel, and the dramatic fall in new car registrations in September, within the second-hand market, it remains a highly desirable option amongst consumers. As well as taking first and second place on the national top 10, diesels topped the list in 10 of the 13 UK regions and countries tracked: Yorkshire(2016 Mercedes-Benz A Class – diesel manual – 16 days); West Midlands (2016 Mercedes-Benz A-Class – diesel manual – 20 days); Wales (2017 Nissan Qashqai – diesel manual – 19 days); South (2015 Hyundai ix35 – diesel manual – 14 days); Scotland (2016 Mercedes-Benz A-Class – diesel manual – 12 days); Northern Ireland (2017 Nissan X-Trail – diesel manual – 31 days); North West (2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA Class – diesel manual -7 days); North East (2015 Nissan Juke – diesel manual – 16 days); East Midlands (2016 Ford Kuga – diesel manual -17 days); and East England (2016 Kia Sportage – diesel manual – 21 days).

In terms of model type, SUVs are still the star of the show and with such models from a variety of marques topping the list in East England (2016 Kia Sportage SUV Diesel Manual – 21 days), East Midlands, Northern Ireland and Wales (2017 Nissan Qashqai – diesel manual – 19 days).

Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader’s Director of Commercial Products, said: “With the autumn and winter months closing in, it’s no surprise to see that SUVs are topping the list as most popular. More surprising perhaps, given the huge decline in the new market, is the ongoing resilience of used diesels. As we’ve seen elsewhere on our marketplace, they’re also retaining their value. That’s because for many motorists they are simply the best option available – particularly those that drive long distances and are looking for the efficiency that only a diesel can offer.

“Knowing which cars will prove popular is key to identifying future sales opportunities. Retailers using data management solutions to complement their own expertise are not only able to determine which cars are the most desirable in their area, but also make informed decisions on how to price them based on the live retail market, helping them to sell more cars, more quickly and for more profit.”

Hitting targets will always be determined by how quickly a retailer can turn their stock around and using data is the key to speeding it up. Users of i-Control, Auto Trader’s data management solution, took an average of just 28 days to sell a car in August, compared to a market average of 65 – 56% faster than those that don’t use the data management tool.

The UK’s Top 10 Fastest Selling Used Cars in September 2018: