Used car sales volumes rose by 4.4% in Q3 2020 after COVID-19 lockdown measures eased across the UK, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
A total of 2,168,599 vehicles changed hands during the period, with growth recorded in each month of the quarter and the car retail sector’s key September number plate-change month driving highest increase of 6.3%.
But transactions remain 17.5% down year-to-date – with some one million fewer transactions than the first nine months of 2020 – and SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes, warned of a “less positive” outlook for the remainder of the year as trading restrictions return with the Welsh ‘firebreak and ‘Lockdown 2’ in England.
Hawes said: “With England entering a fresh lockdown, and tighter COVID restrictions in place across the rest of the UK, the car is playing an even more important role in keeping society moving as public transport becomes less attractive for many.
“It is encouraging to see used car sales returned to growth but, as the pandemic continues and outlets in many areas are being made to close again, the short-term outlook is less positive.
“Given these premises are often proven to be COVID-secure, we need them to re-open quickly to protect vital jobs and ensure no further delay to the fleet renewal necessary to deliver environmental improvements.”
Data published by the SMMT this morning (November 10) showed that demand for pre-owned electric vehicles (BEVs) had grown by 34.4% (4.4% YTD) following a decline of 29.7% in the.
At the same time, sales of plug-in hybrids increased by 35.7%, with 10,040 changing hands, as petrol and diesel cars both delivered sales volume increases of 4.5% and 2.6%, accounting for 97.42% of all used transactions.
Superminis remained the most popular segment, with a 2% increase in transactions delivering 698,587 purchases, accounting for 32.0% of transactions.
The SMMT said that the lower medium segment was the next best seller, with 27% of the total market share.
Meanwhile, the dual-purpose segment showed the largest percentage growth (16.6%) with 13.0% market share as more of these popular vehicles entered the used market, it said.