Average repair costs for top selling used cars rises by 20%

The average repair cost for the UK’s ten most popular used cars in 2024 increased by 20”, compared to 2023.

That’s the key finding from Warrantywise using data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on the most popular used cars sold in 2024¹, Warrantywise compared figures from 2023 to 2024 inclusive.

The findings highlight that repair costs are, on average, around 20% more expensive than the previous year, and in in some instances nearly 30%.

Antony Diggins, managing director of Warrantywise, said: “These rising repair costs come at a time when financial matters in the UK are in the spotlight.

“Despite the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) experiencing a significant decline, dropping from an annual rate of 7.3% in 2023 to 2.5% in December 20242, it seems that repair costs for vehicles are not tracking in line with this.

The Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Astra models saw the steepest rise, with their average repair costs up 25% and 28% respectively

‘Lowest Increase in Average Repair Cost Award’ went to  the Volkswagen Polo, rising by just 3%.