Used EV prices return to growth for the first time since 2022 as wider used car market strengthens
The UK used car market closed the first half of the year with resilient pricing, steady transactions and fast stock turn, despite the summer heatwave and World Cup fever competing for buyers’ attention. According to Autotrader’s latest AI-powered Retail Price Index, the average price of a used car stood at £17,194 in June, representing a 0.8% increase on a year-on-year (YoY) and like-for-like basis — marking the strongest rate of price growth since August 2023.
Despite these potential consumer distractions, Autotrader’s data shows serious, high-intent buyers remained active in June. Indeed, used car transactions rose around 1% YoY, year-to-date volumes remained broadly level, and the average used car took 30 days to sell — unchanged both month-on-month (MoM) and YoY. For retailers, this points to a market where committed buyers are still converting, with used EVs and older stock emerging as two of the clearest areas of opportunity.
Used EVs return to growth as market begins to rebalance
Last month marked a significant milestone for used electric vehicles (EVs), with like-for-like prices rising 1.6% YoY to £24,662 — the first positive annual growth since December 2022. This builds on May’s stabilisation (0.0%), which ended a 40-month period of YoY decline, and was reinforced by a 1.4% MoM rise in used EV prices in June, even as the wider used car market softened 0.4% in line with seasonal trends.
The turnaround is being supported by sustained buyer appetite and tightening supply. Used EVs sold in an average of 25 days in June — five days faster than the overall market and a full week quicker than the 32 days recorded in June 2025. Momentum is particularly concentrated in the 3–5-year-old EV cohort, where prices rose a whopping 8.9% YoY [EC12] to £19,295, with stock leaving forecourts in just 21 days.
Older stock continues to support price growth
Beyond electric vehicles, older stock remains a key margin opportunity for retailers, with constrained supply and sustained affordability pressures continuing to support price growth across older age cohorts. Cars aged 10–15 years were the standout segment, with average prices rising 7.8% YoY and 0.1% MoM to £7,238, bucking the broader seasonal softening seen across much of the market. Cars aged over 15 years also recorded strong annual growth, rising 5.1% YoY to £5,210, while 5–10-year-old cars rose 1.6% YoY to £14,314.
Covid supply gap reshapes buyer choice
Part of that older-stock strength is being shaped by the long tail of pandemic-era supply disruption. The Covid supply gap has now moved into the 5–7-year-old cohort, tightening the availability of traditional high-volume models and changing the choices available to both buyers and retailers. For consumers with a £15,000–£18,000 budget, this is encouraging more consideration of slightly older premium cars instead of newer volume models. For retailers, it underlines the need to look beyond headline market averages and understand where age, brand, fuel type and affordability are creating the strongest stock opportunities.
June’s model-level data also shows that the market’s pockets of strength extend beyond electric and older mainstream stock. More distinctive and enthusiast-led models – including the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Audi RS6 Avant, Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SL – were among the fastest-rising used cars on a like-for-like basis, further underlining the importance of understanding where demand is concentrating.
June’s data points to a used car market that remains highly resilient, with serious buyers continuing to transact despite the summer heatwave and World Cup fever competing for attention. For retailers, that commitment is supporting stable transactions, resilient pricing and a consistent speed of sale.
“The standout story this month, though, is clearly electric. After a prolonged period of price adjustment, used EVs have moved from stabilisation into genuine growth. For retailers, the opportunity isn’t just about having EV stock available, but having the right EV stock, priced accurately and marketed with confidence. More broadly, this is exactly the kind of market where pricing discipline matters. With demand, supply and values moving differently across segments, the best outcomes will come from pricing that reflects live retail market conditions, rather than simply working up from cost.”
Top 10 used car price growth (all fuel types) | June 2026 vs June 2025 like-for-like
Top 10 used car price contraction (all fuel types) | June 2026 vs June 2025 like-for-like
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