At a time when 71%[1] of UK car buyers are considering an electric vehicle (EV) for their next car, the all-electric 2014 Nissan Leaf has become the second[2] ever battery powered vehicle to top the list as the UK’s fastest selling used car, taking an average of just 17 days to turn.
As well as seeing a return of an EV at the top of the national top 10, March also saw a record number of alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) earning a place on the regional top 10s. In London, the 2016 and 2015 variants of the electric-hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander, both automatics, were second and fourth fastest to sell, taking a respective 10 and 14 days to leave forecourts. The 2018 Toyota C-HR electric hybrid, also an automatic, was tenth place in the South East, taking an average of 24 days to turn.
Elsewhere across the regions and countries tracked, petrol dominated as desire for diesels continued to tumble in popularity. Indeed 77% of the top regional spots were taken by petrol powertrains including in the East Midlands (2014 Ford Focus – petrol manual – 17 days), London (2016 Nissan Qashqai – petrol automatic – 9 days), North East (2016 Volkswagen Polo – petrol manual – 16 days), North West (2013 Volkswagen Polo – petrol manual – 18 days), Scotland (2017 Volkswagen Polo – petrol manual – 13 days), South (2012 Ford Fiesta – petrol manual – 17 days), South West (2016 Toyota AYGO – petrol manual – 26 days), Wales (2016 Vauxhall Corsa – petrol manual – 32 days), West Midlands (2016 Nissan Qashqai – petrol manual – 23 days) and Yorkshire (2013 Ford Focus – petrol manual – 20 days).
Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader’s Director of Commercial Products, said: “An all-electric vehicle making it to the very top of the UK’s fastest selling is really quite significant, and reflects the trends we’re seeing elsewhere. Not only are there record rates of adoption of AFVs in both the new and used car market, but research for our latest Market Report showed that nearly three quarters of car buyers are considering an EV for their next purchase. Mass adoption is a way off yet, but there is clearly a growing shift in perception which will offer huge opportunities for the industry.
“Diesel remains an excellent choice for many drivers, however it looks as though the writing is on the wall for the much-maligned fuel type. It’s shown great resilience, but with the ongoing negative rhetoric surrounding the fuel debate, coupled with high-profile schemes to cut emissions in major cities, such as London’s new Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), it’s future remains uncertain.â€
The UK’s Top 10 Fastest Selling Used Cars in March 2019:
| Rank | Make/Model | Average Days to sell |
Average Price Position |
Average Retail Price |
|||||
| 1 | 2014 Nissan Leaf Hatchback Electric Automatic | 17 | 99.32% | £10,550 | |||||
| 2 | 2016 Mazda CX-5 SUV Diesel Manual | 18 | 98.37% | £15,186 | |||||
| 3 | 2016 Kia Sorento SUV Diesel Automatic | 18 | 98.87% | £23,050 | |||||
| 4 | 2016 Skoda Octavia Estate Petrol Manual | 18 | 98.19% | £13,437 | |||||
| 5 | 2016 Smart forfour Hatchback Petrol Automatic | 18 | 101.25% | £8,264 | |||||
| 6 | 2016 Peugeot 108 Convertible Petrol Automatic | 18 | 98.48% | £7,140 | |||||
| 7 | 2016 Vauxhall Mokka Hatchback Petrol Automatic | 19 | 98.72% | £10,959 | |||||
| 8 | 2016 Vauxhall Zafira MPV Petrol Manual | 19 | 100.84% | £10,289 | |||||
| 9 | 2016 Peugeot 208 Hatchback Petrol Automatic | 19 | 98.57% | £9,554 | |||||
| 10 | 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class SUV Diesel Automatic | 20 | 99.70% | £26,947 |
[1] Auto Trader Market Report ‘the future of the car’, March 2019
[2]Â 2016 Renault Zoe, July 2018
