SUVs reign supreme as Mokka is named 2018’s fastest selling used car

The Vauxhall Mokka, proved to be the cream of the crop in the used car market last year, with the 2015 petrol automatic variant taking the crown as Auto Trader’s fastest selling used car of 2018. According to Auto Trader’s leading market tracker data, the compact SUV took an average of just 26 days to leave UK forecourts over the last 12 months, knocking the Kia Sportage off the number one spot; a title it’s held for two consecutive years.

If there was any doubt that SUVs are fuelling the market, the Mokka beat off stiff competition from its counterparts, with 2018’s annual top 10 featuring seven such models: the Renault Captur(2015 diesel automatic), Renault Kadjar (2015 diesel manual), Mazda CX-5 (2015 diesel manual and 2016 diesel automatic), Skoda Yeti (2015 petrol manual), as well as the Audi Q5 (2016 diesel automatic).

It was a similar picture across the regions, with SUVs making up 77 per cent of the fastest selling used cars in 2018. They topped the list the lists in East England (2016 Ford Kuga diesel manual – 30 days), East Midlands (2015 Nissan Qashqai diesel manual – 31 days), London (2015 Mitsubishi Outlander electric hybrid automatic – 14 days), North East (2015 Nissan Juke diesel manual – 29 days), Scotland (2016 Ford Kuga diesel manual – 21 days), South (2015 Volkswagen Tiguan diesel manual – 24 days), South East (2015 Vauxhall Mokka petrol automatic – 24 days), South West (2015 Ford Kuga diesel manual – 36 days), Wales (2015 Nissan Qashqai diesel manual – 37 days) and West Midlands (2016 Ford Kuga diesel manual – 29 days).

Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader’s Director of Commercial Products, said: “SUVs have unquestionably played a huge role in maximising profitability in 2018 and there’s little doubt this will continue to be the case during the year ahead. However, with SUVs taking the crown for three consecutive years, it’ll be exciting to see whether they’ll be able to make it a fourth, or if the nippy hatchback will be able to recapture the second-hand market in 2019.”

Derek Wilson, Operations Director, Used Cars, Vauxhall Motors, said: “Vauxhall is delighted that the Mokka has proved so popular with used car buyers. It’s testament to the enduring appeal of the Mokka and Mokka X, as well as the strength of the Vauxhall brand and the professionalism of its sales network, that demand continues to be so strong. We’re sure that this will continue during 2019.”

Underlining their annual success, SUVs rounded off 2018 on a high with the 2015 and 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC diesel automatic taking first and second place as the UK’s fastest selling used cars in December.

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 31 days to sell a car in December, compared to a market average of 54% faster than those that don’t use the data management tool.

Karolina continued: “With another year of uncertainty facing the market, the most fundamental factor in success will be a forecourt that not only features the most desirable cars in your area but are priced competitively. Using data to complement your own expertise could make all the difference in speeding up stock turn and ultimately, improving your bottom line.”

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

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