Fed up UK drivers are spending their extra savings, gained from the Covid lockdown period, on the car of their dreams – and SUVs are topping the choice lists.
A new survey shows that the big family cars and other premium brand vehicles were the used cars of choice last month (March), as buyers dipped into some of the unspent restaurant, cinema and holiday money that they’ve saved over the last 12 months.
The Volkswagen Touareg was the fastest-selling used car during March, according to the eBay Motors Group findings, with the Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLE, BMW X4, Audi Q7 and Land Rover Discovery Sport also among the top 10 quick sellers.
Rank | Make | Model | Avg days to sell |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Volkswagen | Touareg | 29.0 |
2 | Hyundai | i40 | 29.1 |
3 | Mercedes-Benz | GLC | 29.9 |
4 | Citroën | Berlingo | 30.0 |
5 | BMW | X4 | 31.9 |
6 | Audi | Q7 | 32.5 |
7 | Mercedes-Benz | GLE | 32.8 |
8 | Mini | One | 33.2 |
9 | Hyundai | Kona | 34.3 |
10 | Land Rover | Discovery Sport | 34.3 |
Ford was the most searched-for brand among used car buyers, accounting for almost 13% of all views on eBay’s Motors.co.uk site in March, increasing its year-on-year share from 11%.
Volkswagen was the second most viewed brand with just under a 9% share, followed in third place by Vauxhall (8%).
Premium brands also performed strongly in the top ten including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi all seeing about 7% of total page views, and Land Rover in ninth place with just under 4%.
Rank | Make | March 2021 | February 2021 | March 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ford | 12.9% | 13.4% | 11.3% |
2 | Volkswagen | 8.6% | 8.2% | 8.1% |
3 | Vauxhall | 8.0% | 8.7% | 8.3% |
4 | BMW | 7.3% | 6.7% | 7.5% |
5 | Mercedes-Benz | 7.1% | 7.1% | 7.9% |
6 | Audi | 7.0% | 6.4% | 7.1% |
7 | Nissan | 4.5% | 4.8% | 4.2% |
8 | Peugeot | 3.9% | 4.2% | 3.4% |
9 | Land Rover | 3.6% | 3.7% | 4.4% |
10 | Toyota | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.2% |
“For some used car buyers the long months of lockdown, missed holidays and unexpected financial savings, have prompted aspirational purchases of premium brand family-size SUVs,” says Dermot Kelleher, head of marketing and research at eBay Motors Group.
“With the UK in lockdown throughout March, the used car market continued to show remarkable resilience with franchised dealers achieving their fastest stock turns so far this year on the back of high levels of online consumer activity.
“Overall, our March analysis reflects a strong desire among buyers to research and complete purchases as the UK prepares to move out of lockdown.”