Used cars are leaving retailer forecourts in an average of 29 days so far in September, one day faster than in August and in line with the same period last year, according to Autotrader.
The MG HS took top spot, with an average of just 16 days on forecourts, followed by the Toyota Yaris, Kia Sportage, Kia Niro, Hyundai BAYON, Honda Jazz, Suzuki S-Cross and Vauxhall Mokka Electric.
Marc Palmer, head of insights, said: “The used car market is carrying good momentum into autumn, with healthy buyer demand reflected in the increased speed of stock turn. What stands out in September is the strength of demand for practical, everyday stock, with hatchbacks and smaller SUVs prominent across the fastest selling rankings.
“For retailers, the message is clear: the market is moving quickly, but not evenly. The biggest opportunities are likely to come from stocking the vehicles that match live buyer demand, pricing them competitively, and using real-time data to identify where they can turn stock quickly while still protecting margin.”
Hybrids and EVs account for seven of the ten fastest-selling used cars.
Used EVs aged three to five years continue to show strong demand, averaging 25 days to sell and outperforming the wider used car market by four days.
Across all age bands, petrol, full and mild hybrid, and electric vehicles are currently tied as the fastest-selling fuel types overall (averaging 28 days).
At brand level, Asian manufacturers dominate the fastest sellers list, with MG, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, Suzuki and Honda accounting for eight of the top ten positions.
Older diesel saloons and some luxury ICE models are taking longest to sell. The 10–15-year-old diesel BMW 3 Series is lingering the longest on forecourts this month, taking over three times longer than the MG HS to sell.
