Strong Start to 2025: UK Used Car Market Sees Sharp Rise in Values driven by BCA’s Online Sales Program

The UK’s used car market is off to a strong start in 2025, with the average price of vehicles sold at British Car Auctions (BCA) reaching £8,042 in January. This increase in values is attributed to the growing customer engagement in BCA’s online sales programme, which has sustained demand across the wider used car market.

BCA reported record-breaking numbers at the beginning of the year, with new benchmarks set for the highest number of individual buyers in a week, the strongest weekly sold volume in three and a half years, and the highest-ever weekly sales of electric vehicles, surpassing 1,000 units. The trend of rising values for vehicles over five years old that started over the Christmas period has continued into the first two months of 2025.

Despite a slow start in demand for fleet and lease vehicles, there has been a significant improvement, with strong competition at most price points regardless of fuel type. BCA’s COO, Stuart Pearson, highlighted the strong start to the year and the rise in average values, attributing it to a minor imbalance in supply and demand.

Customer feedback indicates that the used car retail market remains resilient, driven by factors such as stock shortages, challenges in the new vehicle market, a shortage of three- to four-year-old used cars, and increasing consumer interest in second-hand electric vehicles. Looking ahead, Pearson expects used vehicle prices and demand to remain stable for the coming months.

Overall, the outlook for the UK’s used car market in 2025 looks positive, with strong customer engagement, record-breaking numbers, and stable prices expected in the months to come. Stay tuned for more updates on the evolving trends in the used car industry.