Used cars coming to auction continue to get older, according to Autorola’s latest Q3 insights into used vehicles sold on its online platform.
The average age of the used cars Autorola has sold on behalf of fleets and dealers during 2026 has risen from 37 months and 25,314 miles in Q1 to 43 months and 26,700 miles in Q3.
Petrol cars have seen the biggest change increasing in age by seven months from 37 months in Q1 to 44 months in Q3. Hybrid cars have aged by four months and EVs by five months both to 37 months during the same period.
“Fleets are extending their replacement cycles while consumers are holding onto their cars for longer, which is providing dealers with older part exchanges,” explained Neil Frost, MD of Autorola UK.
“A large number of those higher mileage vehicles have been washed through the system during the September plate change and we believe there are plenty more to come.
The ageing used car parc is good news for dealers in terms of aftersales. Vertu Motors CEO Robert Forrester told Motor Trader.
“The average car in the UK is nine years and 10 months old; 10 years ago, it was seven years and five months old, so aftersales demand should be good,” he said.
