Keeping it fresh
UK motorists changes their cars the most often compared to neighbours
UK drivers change their used car nearly twice as frequently as the European average.
According to new research by the vehicle history checking service carVertical, like the weather, we keep things fresh on the drive.
Out on our own
The survey of drivers across eight European countries found that three in five UK drivers (58%) shop for a used car every 1-3 years, while 27% swap their vehicle every 4-6 years.
By contrast, across Europe fewer than a third of drivers (30%) buy a second-hand car every 1-3 years on average, while 36% swap their vehicle every 4-6 years.
After the UK, Polish drivers are the most likely to buy a car every 1-3 years, with over a third (35%) doing so. Only 7% of UK drivers swap their car every 7-10 years, compared to over a fifth of French motorists.
Getting changed
Place |
1-3 years |
4-6 years |
7-10 years |
Less often than every 10 years |
UK |
58% |
27% |
7% |
1% |
Poland |
35% |
37% |
12% |
2% |
Italy |
29% |
33% |
21% |
8% |
Hungary |
26% |
47% |
10% |
5% |
France |
26% |
37% |
21% |
13% |
Romania |
25% |
37% |
10% |
6% |
Czech Republic |
24% |
32% |
17% |
10% |
Spain |
23% |
40% |
16% |
7% |
Europe average |
30% |
36% |
14% |
7% |
Source: carVertical survey
Table excludes data for new drivers who have not yet bought their second car.
British tastes
With Brits changing their cars so regularly, certain models sell much faster than others in the UK — with Skodas coming out on top in a list dominated by SUVs and hatchbacks.
The Skoda Kodiaq is the UK’s fastest selling used car, with the average example taking just 19.5 days to sell. Skoda’s popular Karoq SUV came in second place in the fastest seller league table.
The top 10 fastest selling used cars in the uk are:
Make |
Model |
Average days to sell |
Skoda |
Kodiaq |
19.5 |
Skoda |
Karoq |
19.9 |
Volkswagen |
Touareg |
20 |
Suzuki |
Ignis |
20.4 |
Ssangyong |
Tivoli |
20.6 |
Seat |
Ateca |
20.8 |
Volkswagen |
Arteon |
21.3 |
Suzuki |
Swift |
21.4 |
Volkswagen |
Tiguan |
21.5 |
Seat |
Arona |
21.8 |
Source: carVertical analysis.
Going slow
The UK’s slowest selling used car, the Porsche Boxster, takes more than twice as long as both Skodas to sell, taking nearly 50 days on average.
Make |
Model |
Average days to sell |
Porsche |
Boxster |
48.4 |
Porsche |
911 |
48.4 |
Volkswagen |
ID.3 |
42.1 |
BMW |
Z4 |
41.5 |
Volkswagen |
Amarok |
41.4 |
Porsche |
Cayenne |
40.8 |
Mitsubishi |
l200 |
39.1 |
Kia |
Soul |
38.9 |
DS |
3 |
38.5 |
BMW |
6 Series |
38.4 |
Source: carVertical analysis.
It’s love
“Brits are a nation of car lovers,” explains Matas Buzelis,at carVertical.
“Thankfully the huge range of cars on the UK’s used car market means there are vehicles to suit any change in circumstances, whether that’s to accommodate a growing family or to swap to a greener model.
“With UK drivers changing their cars so frequently, it is vital that people get the full picture of any car they are interested in – so they don’t end up overspending on a damaged car or getting caught out by fraudsters.
“It is recommended that anyone buying a second-hand car gets a thorough history check to give them peace of mind that it has not been damaged, stolen or had its mileage tampered with.”