Top 10 most popular used cars in the UK

The UK’s used car market is a vital part of the automotive industry, offering drivers an affordable and flexible alternative to buying new.

With millions of vehicles changing hands each year, it reflects not only consumer demand but also trends within the industry.

This buying and selling guide will explain more about the data surrounding used car sales in the UK.

UK used car sales 2026

The UK used car market was broadly stable in the first quarter of the year, with transactions edging down just 0.2% to 2,016,232 units, according to new data released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

This slight dip brought to an end 12 consecutive quarters of growth, largely due to a softer March in which sales fell by 2.3%. This followed an exceptionally strong March 2025, the only March since 2017 to surpass 700,000 transactions.

Growth in EV sales 2026

Demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) surged by 32.0% to 86,943 units, meaning that nearly one in 23 buyers (4.3%) opted for an EV. This is up from around one in 30 a year earlier.

According to SMMT, this growth reflects continued investment by manufacturers in new models, expanding the range of zero-emission vehicles across all segments.

They also stated that the discounts and government incentives have also helped boost supply into the used market.

Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales climbed 27.6% to 128,039 units, taking a 6.4% market share.

In contrast, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) volumes declined by 8.9% to 20,021 units, representing 1.0% of sales. Altogether, electrified vehicles accounted for 11.7% of used car transactions in Q1.

Petrol remained the dominant fuel type despite a 0.6% drop to 1,147,969 units, while diesel sales fell more sharply, down 6.7% to 629,987 units, as supply from the new car market continues to shrink. Overall, conventionally fuelled cars still made up 88.2% of all transactions.

Most popular colours for used cars 2026

In terms of colour, black and grey continued to lead the market, with sales rising 0.4% and 2.8% respectively.

White returned to the top three after increasing 3.1%, overtaking blue.

Cream saw the fastest growth, up 11.7%, although volumes remained low at 1,399 units.

Pink experienced the steepest decline, falling 17.8% to 1,214 sales, while maroon was the least popular colour, with just 1,108 cars sold.

Most popular used cars Q1 2026

Here are the most popular used cars bought in the UK in the first three months of 2026:

Source: SMMT

Top 10 used cars in 2025

The UK’s used car sector continued to expand in 2025, rising by 2.2% to a total of 7,807,872 transactions, according to new data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

This marks the third year in a row of growth, helped by improving new‑car supply feeding strong second‑hand demand, especially for electrified models.

Interest in electrified vehicles accelerated sharply. Used battery‑electric car sales jumped 45.7% year‑on‑year, reaching a record 274,815 transactions and increasing their market share to 3.5%, up from 2.5% in 2024. Plug‑in hybrids grew 6.3% to 88,032 units, while conventional hybrids climbed 28.6% to 407,531.

Altogether, electrified used‑car sales rose 30.9% to 770,378, representing 9.9% of all purchases. Petrol and diesel vehicles still dominated, however, making up 89.9% of the market. Petrol remained the most popular choice, up 1.5% to 56.7% share, while diesel slipped 3.5% to 33.1%.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “A third year of used car sales growth underscores the market’s resilience, with recovering new car demand revitalising choice and affordability – especially for EVs – in the used market. The record number of buyers making the switch signals growing confidence in zero and ultra-low emission motoring. Maintaining this momentum, however, and driving the fleet renewal needed to decarbonise our roads at pace, must start with ensuring a strong and sustainable new car market.”

The table highlights the top 10 used cars in 2025, according to the SMMT.

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Most popular car colours in 2025

Here are the top 10 colours for used cars bought in the UK:

^{Source: SMMT, 2025 data}

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Top 10 regions in the UK for used car sales

The latest SMMT data has revealed the UK for used car sales:

^{Source: SMMT}

Used car sales by month in 2025

Here is the total sales of used cars month-by-month in 2025.

^{Source: SMMT}