VW Golf revealed as the most popular car to sell on Motorway’s used car platform during pandemic

Motorway Used Carometer reveals the top 20 most sold and most expensive cars sold across UK in the last year 

  • The top selling used electric car was the Nissan Leaf
  • A Lamborghini Huracan from Surrey was the most expensive used car sold during pandemic, for £172,250
  • The Volkswagen Golf came out as the most popular car to sell in London, Leeds and Edinburgh
  • The most expensive used electric car was the Tesla Model X
  • An Abarth 695C was revealed as the rarest used car to be sold in the UK

It’s official – Volkswagen Golf was the UK’s most-sold used car during the pandemic, revealed by Motorway, the UK’s fastest-growing online marketplace for used cars.  

Motorway analysed all the cars sold on its platform during the pandemic, between March 2020 and February 2021, and found that more people have sold a Volkswagen Golf on the platform than any other model of car in the last year. It was closely followed by the Ford Fiesta and the MINI Cooper, proving UK drivers love selling things in small packages. The Volkswagen Golf also came top in London, Leeds and Edinburgh in the last year. 

vw golf car
The VW Golf, the much-loved compact car that’s ever-popular to both buy and sell

Best electric dreams

With the steady rise in popularity of electric cars, UK drivers are spoiled for choice when choosing which EV to go for – from Tesla to Renault, there’s an EV for all tastes and budgets. But the Nissan Leaf took first place in Motorway’s Used Carometer with more of this model being sold online than any other electric car in the last 12 months. 

With EVs surging in popularity, Motorway also saw major growth in the selling of both petrol and diesel vehicles, with Land Rover featuring high on the most sold list, with popular models taking 9th and 11th place, implying the government’s changing legislation on fuel has got some people reconsidering their ownership of premium fossil fuel used cars. 

Most expensive motors

The UK’s most expensive used car in the Motorway Carometer was a Lamborghini Huracan, located North of the Surrey Hills, which sold for £172,250.  Three more Lamborghinis featured in the top five, hailing from Essex, Cardiff and Hull. While the rest of the top 20 most expensive cars featured brands most would expect like Porsche, Land Rover, Bentley and Mercedes, there was one Tesla Model X that went for over £80k, demonstrating a good resale value for this type of electric car. 

Tom Leathes, CEO of Motorway, said:

“While sales of new cars continue to fall and consumers have avoided public transport to stay safe, the used car market has seen incredible growth over the past year. Our data shows which cars have proved to be the most popular to sell this year.  

“Cars like the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Fiesta and Mini Cooper are consumer favourites and really hold their value in the used car market, with lots of people seeking them out. It’s also great to see just how many used electric cars are being bought and sold right now – the demand for EVs is growing fast and people are realising they can pick up some great models second hand without breaking the bank on a new one.”

The weird and wonderful 

Motorway’s data revealed it was an Italian yacht-themed Abarth 695C that was the rarest motor sold on the platform this year, alongside an Infiniti FX30d. And while black, white and grey are still the most in-demand colours, cream, pink and turquoise aren’t big sellers.  However, when it comes to selling cars, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, with one yellow Porsche 718 in Hampshire going for over £80k and a yellow Ford Mustang in Manchester selling for almost £30k and an orange BMW M4 going for £40k in Newport. 

Twitter competition ts & cs

Last updated: 24th February 2022

Motorway Online Ltd (company number 10285711) is the promoter (“Promoter”) of these 4 free prize draws. Subject to these Terms and Conditions, all persons who re-tweet the specified tweet on The Motorway Twitter page (the “Tweet”), in addition to following the Twitter account @Motorway before the closing dates will be entered into a free prize draw as set out on Twitter to win the prize detailed in the Tweet.

List of prizes and closing dates

  • £1,000 – for one winner – closes 5pm, Monday 28th February 2022
  • One England Rugby Home 2021/22 Replica Jersey for ten winners – closes 5pm, Sunday 27th February 2022
  • 50x Size 5 Motorway Rugby Balls – for 50 winners – closes 5pm, Tuesday 15th March 2022
  • Six Motorway rugby tackle bags for one winning Rugby Club – closes 5pm, Sunday 20th March 2022

 Entry guidelines

  • All these free prize draws are open to anyone aged at least 18 years who is a UK resident, excluding employees of the Promoter or any of its affiliated companies
  • Entries must be made by re-tweeting the Tweet and following Motorway on Twitter. Entries received after the stipulated closing time will be invalid and will not be included in the free prize draw.
  • Any instructions provided in the Tweet form part of the Terms and Conditions of the free prize draw, but in the event of a conflict, these Terms and Conditions take precedence. Entries not complying with these Terms and Conditions will be invalid.
  • The Promoter reserves the right to request valid proof of identification (as determined in its sole discretion) from the winner prior to the fulfilment of the Prize. The Promoter will not be responsible for any inability of a winner to take up the Prize.
  • Subject to passing identification checks and the disclosure of delivery details, the Prize will be delivered to the winners’ specified delivery address.
  • No payment is required to enter the free prize draw.
  • The winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries received before the free prize draw closing time, at the discretion of the Promoter. The winner will be notified following the free prize draw closing time, firstly by tweet and then by direct mail to the winner’s Twitter account if possible. In the event that the winner fails to respond to the Promoter to confirm their acceptance of the Prize within 72 hours of the first message, the Promoter reserves the right to forfeit the Prize or select an alternative winner from the free prize draw.
  • The prize cannot be exchanged for any substitute prize.
  • The winner may be required to participate in publicity connected with the free prize draw and in entering the free prize draw, entrants agree to their name and country of residence being made publicly available if they win.
  • The decision of the Promoter is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  • The Promoter reserves the right to suspend, cancel or amend the free prize draw and/or review and revise these Terms and Conditions at any time without giving prior notice. By continuing to take part in the free prize draw subsequent to any revision of these Terms and Conditions, entrants shall be deemed to have agreed to any such new or amended terms.
  • This free prize draw is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Twitter. Entries which do not comply with the terms of use of Twitter shall not be considered. For further information, see www.twitter.com/tos.
  • You are providing your information to the Promoter and not to Twitter. The information you provide will only be used for the purposes of contacting you in the event that you are drawn as a winner of the free prize draw.
  • As a participant and/or winner, you will fully release Motorway and its affiliates, partners and employees from any and all liability, claims, demands, and causes of action for personal injury and or damage, theft, or loss suffered in connection with this free prize draw or the use or acceptance of the Prize or any portion thereof whatsoever.

Privacy notice 

  • We use very little personal data for our ‘Motorway England Rugby Shirt Free Prize Draw’ Promotion, but we need some to process your entry. We also need personal details to respond to any enquiries you may have. This privacy notice explains what personal data we process and your rights over what we do with it. (This part of the privacy notice above applies to the ‘Motorway England Rugby Shirt Free Prize Draw’ Promotion only).
  • We need your social media account name to enter any Promotion, to ensure that it is run fairly, and for your prize to be awarded, and you cannot enter the Promotion without providing that information. If you win, then we’ll need your name, preferred delivery address and contact number for fulfilment of your prize. Our processing of your personal data is necessary for the performance of the Promotion contract.
  • We will use personal data about you for the Promotion, only, and will erase it when the Promotion is complete.
  • We will need to share personal data with our partners only to operate the Promotion.    Our partners include: Manning Gottlieb OMD, Bankside 2 & 3, 90-100 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SW. Other partners include IT service providers, and business partners who help us to ensure the proper administration of the Promotion and associated services.
  • We will not disclose personal data to a third party for any other purpose without a valid lawful basis.
  • Should we need to transfer personal data outside of the UK, we will ensure that appropriate legal and technical safeguards are in place.
  • You can request copies of personal data about you including in portable electronic formats and, where appropriate, the rectification, erasure or restriction of processing of that personal data.
  • If you’re not happy with our processing of personal data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Motorway’s bumper growth fuelled further by appreciation of used cars

  • Massive change is underway in the global used car industry.  New car sales are at an all-time low, while used car demand is at an all-time peak
  • Used cars appreciated by 30% in September 2021 vs. September 2020
  • Values have been steadily increasing month-on-month, with the biggest jump in June (+16%) 
  • Motorway is a marketplace connecting consumers selling their car with professional car dealers acquiring stock – getting the best possible deal for both parties, and 100% online
  • Motorway has seen +300% YOY growth after record £306m sales in Q3 2021
  • Company is now on a run-rate to deliver over $2bn in completed sales over the next year

Investing in used cars could soon be a better bet than investing in your pension. With prices for a second hand car surging to unprecedented levels, the value of your car is currently rising every time you take it for a spin. 

Whereas cars typically depreciate as soon as they leave the forecourt, this year has seen a complete reversal in used car values.  Second-hand vehicles have skyrocketed in the last nine months, with the average value of vehicles soaring by over 30% YoY, according to Motorway, the UK’s fastest-growing way to sell your car.  

While the pandemic led to record numbers of consumers looking to buy or upgrade cars with the money they hadn’t spent on holidays or entertainment, the shortage of new cars coming to market – as a result of the semiconductor supply crisis – has turned consumers to the used car market instead. But the new car shortage has had a knock-on effect on used cars too – less new cars also means less used cars available too.  Coupled with a massive increase in consumer demand, the used car market that was already heating up, has turned red hot and prices for used cars are now going sky high. 

Motorway’s growth 

With the pandemic fueling a fundamental behavioural change in both dealers and consumers to buy and sell cars online, both groups have turned to Motorway.  At the same time, consumer demand for a simple, fast and online way to sell their car is rising month-on-month.  As a result,  Motorway has seen a four-fold YoY surge in sales and +65% growth in Q3 sales versus Q2 this year. 

The company recorded a +300% uplift in third-quarter sales to £306 million compared with £78 million last year. Between July and September this year, Motorway sold 20,076 cars.  This accelerated growth has continued, with Motorway now selling well over 8,000 cars a month, with £140m cars sold in September alone.  Over 100,000 used cars have been sold on Motorway since launch, with a new sale now agreed every five minutes.

This recent surge in sales puts Motorway on a run-rate to deliver over $2bn in completed sales over the next year, making it one of the world’s fastest growing digital automotive marketplaces.

The way to sell your car

Motorway helps consumers to sell their car for up to £1,000 more from the comfort of home. It’s simple, fast and free – a car can be profiled and uploaded onto the Motorway website using only a smartphone. Over 3,000 professional car dealers can then bid for the vehicle in a daily online auction, with the highest offer winning the car. Their car is then collected for free by the winning dealer in as little as 24 hours. 

Cutting out the middlemen and moving the whole process online, Motorway removes the hassle and the haggle, helping car sellers and car dealers get a better deal fast, and all entirely remotely.

Motorway data on appreciation of used cars comparing Q3 2021 with Q3 2020

Exclusive data from Motorway sales reveals the month-on-month increases in the average value of vehicles sold on Motorway since September 2020 and a breakdown of prices achieved by popular models:

  • A Porsche Cayman has steadily increased by +23%, going for £5,480 more than Q3 2020
  • At the other end of the scale, a Ford Focus has appreciated by over +34%, selling for £3,346 more than last year. 
  • Looking at the used EV market, a Tesla Model S sold for +14% higher than it went for last year
  • Even at the cheaper end of the market, pieces have seen huge increases – a Vauxhall Agila went for £2,300, +46% higher than Q3 2020 
  • An Aston Martin Vanquish rose by +38% just sitting in the driveway during lockdown
porsche cayman used car valuation
The Porsche Cayman was one model that saw extreme appreciation on Motorway through 2021

Table 1: Month-on-month increases in the average value of vehicles sold on the platform since September 2020

Month-on-month
MonthAvg Value% +/- v. Sept 2020£ +/-
Sep-20£14,895
Oct-20£15,4303.59%£535
Nov-20£14,126-5.16%-£769
Dec-20£14,242-4.38%-£653
Jan-21£14,445-3.02%-£450
Feb-21£14,122-5.19%-£773
Mar-21£13,899-6.68%-£996
Apr-21£14,758-0.92%-£137
May-21£15,2962.69%£401
Jun-21£17,26715.92%£2,372
Jul21£17,70818.89%£2,813
Aug21£18,83626.46%£3,941
Sep21£19,42730.42%£4,532
2020 vs. 2021 used car average valuations

Table 2: A breakdown of prices achieved by popular models comparing Q3 2021 with Q3 2020

Q321 v. Q320
MakeModelQ320Q321Q320 v. 21 (%)Q320 v. 21 (£)
MercedesQ3£16,763£20,08219.80%£3,319
VolkswagenTiguan£14,398£18,12325.87%£3,725
MiniCooper£9,734£12,52228.64%£2,788
FordFocus£9,963£13,30933.58%£3,346
PorscheCayman£23,750£29,23023.07%£5,480
TeslaModel S£42,718£48,53113.61%£5,813
NissanQashqai£9,294£11,52524.00%£2,231
AudiQ3£16,672£20,08220.45%£3,410
BMWM235I£17,791£21,53121.02%£3,740
Land RoverDiscovery£24,392£28,80018.07%£4,408
HondaJazz£7,548£8,46412.14%£916
VauxhallAgila£2,300£3,35645.91%£1,056
VolkswagenEos£4,569£6,03132.00%£1,462
Aston MartinVanquish£61,166£84,00037.33%£22,834
LotusExige£58,150£75,00028.98%£16,850
2020 vs. 2021 used car model average valuations

Motorway to sponsor ITV’s live coverage of the Guinness Six Nations

ITV today announces that Motorway is the new stand-alone sponsor of the broadcaster’s live Guinness Six Nations coverage across 2022 and 2023.

Motorway, the UK’s fastest growing used car marketplace, will sponsor ITV’s live coverage of the tournament, encompassing broadcast sponsorship of coverage across ITV and STV.

The two-year sponsorship agreement planned and brokered by Motorway’s media agency, MG OMD, will include a comprehensive activation package, including catch-up sponsorship on the ITV Hub, digital creative executions, and social support on ITV Platforms and on Twitter Amplify for the 2022 and 2023 tournaments. Creative executions and sponsorship idents will be produced by Motorway’s creative agency, Wonderhood Studios.

As part of increased coverage of the tournament beginning this year, ITV will provide exclusive live coverage of ten of the fifteen matches during the six-week tournament, starting on Saturday February 5 with Ireland’s game against Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which kicks off the tournament.

ITV’s ten games include all home matches of England, Ireland, Italy and France.

Lloyd Page, CMO at Motorway, said:

“We’re proud to partner with ITV and bring one of the biggest sporting tournaments in the world to millions of rugby fans via our sponsorship of ITV’s Live Coverage of the Guinness Six Nations. After a year of outstanding growth, this sponsorship gives us a fantastic opportunity to continue driving awareness of Motorway as the best way for people to sell their car for free, thanks to our easy-to-use website and access to thousands of dealers in our nationwide dealer network.”

Tom Cocker, Executive Director at MG OMD, said:

“We are delighted to support Motorway in their sponsorship of the upcoming Guinness 6 Nations coverage on ITV. This represents the next exciting stage in the Motorway journey, to build on current successes, and drive brand fame and salience in an incredibly competitive and buoyant car selling market. Working with ITV offers a unique opportunity to connect with key audiences at scale across multiple platforms. We are incredibly excited to see it come to life.

Simon Daglish, Deputy Managing Director of ITV Commercial, said:

“This fantastic new deal brings ITV together with an emerging major player in the market, extending their brand reach to a whole new audience and providing an opportunity for us to work with them on a comprehensive and innovative sponsorship package. With England, Ireland, France and Italy home games now forming our Six Nations portfolio, we’re bringing ITV viewers a wealth of superb rugby that forms part of our year of live sport in 2022.”

– Ends –

Notes To Editors

For more information please contact Tom Hodson on 07557 494401 or tom.hodson@itv.com

About ITV

ITV connects millions of people every day, making content they can’t get enough of, and reflecting and shaping the world we live in… and we do all this through the power of creativity.

We are a leading media and entertainment company, with the largest free-to-air commercial television network in the UK, a global production and distribution business and a growing Direct to Consumer business. Engaging audiences in the UK and around the world with creative, high-quality content is at the core of everything we do.

We reach over 40 million viewers every week with our programmes on ITV’s family of channels, as well as through ITV Hub.

ITV Studios is home to some of the best creative minds, crafting over 7,000 hours of original programming across 60 production labels. Our global footprint spans 13 countries including the UK, US, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, The Nordics, Italy and the Netherlands and our global distribution business sells our catalogue of 90,000+ hours to broadcasters and platforms around the world.

ITV has several SVOD services with over 3 million subscribers worldwide, including BritBox UK, BritBox International which is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and South Africa and will soon be available in The Nordics, and ITV Hub+ (the ad-free version of the ITV Hub with download functionality).

Our Social Purpose is to shape culture for good. It is an integral part of how we set and deliver our business goals, and has four focus areas: Better Health, Diversity & Inclusion, Climate Action and Giving Back.

About Motorway

Motorway is the UK’s fastest-growing used car marketplace – the online-only platform connects private car sellers with thousands of verified dealers nationwide, ensuring everyone gets the best deal.

Since launching in 2017, Motorway has grown to a team of over 250 and has completed over 100,000 successful car sales for customers across the UK. 

For more information visit motorway.co.uk

Motorway – Motor Trader Awards: Online Used Car Trading Platform Award 2021

We are extremely honoured to win the Online Used Car Trading Platform Award at the Motor Trader Industry Awards 2021

This year’s awards ceremony took place on Tuesday 30th November at London’s iconic Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane.  

Motorway – Winner of the Online Used Car Trading Platform Award at the Motor Trader Industry Awards 2021.
Motorway – Winner of the Online Used Car Trading Platform Award at the Motor Trader Industry Awards 2021.

A huge thank you to our fantastic team for all your hard work throughout another challenging year. Congratulations to all the winners, and a huge thank you to Motor Trader Magazine’s editor John Kirwan and to the judges for believing in our service!

As the UK’s fastest-growing used car marketplace, we love helping dealers buy better stock online, without the middlemen. 

Motorway sales director James Bush said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to be awarded the best Online Trading Platform of the Year at the illustrious Motor Trader Awards 2021.

“Everyone at Motorway is extremely passionate about giving our sellers and dealers the ultimate experience in buying and selling cars. To receive such a prestigious award, at an event like this, is a very proud moment for everyone across the business.

“With the vast expansion plans we have in place for 2022, we are aiming to provide an even slicker place to buy and sell cars – and we are really excited to take this accolade to spur us on to further achievements in the new year.”

Dealers can sign up to buy exclusive, privately-owned used car stock at Motorway here.

Over half of London motorists don’t know the ULEZ is expanding on 25th October

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is set to expand on Monday, yet only 43% of motorists in and around the city are aware, according to new research from used car marketplace, Motorway

Cars, motorcycles, specialist vehicles, and minibuses will either need to meet the ULEZ emission standards or pay a £12.50 daily charge when driving within the expanded zone. While car owners can check compliance of their vehicle with Motorway’s ULEZ checker, only 35% of motorists in and around London know how to check if their vehicle will be charged.

Even fewer motorists are confident on the new boundaries.  While 73% are aware Central London will be included: 

  • Only 29% are aware it stretches across areas of South West London (including Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, and Wandsworth) 
  • Only 33% areas of West London (including Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington, and Chelsea) 
  • Only 33% in the North (including Barnet, Enfield, Hackney and Haringey)
  • Only 33% in the South East (including Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham) 
  • Only 37% in the North East (including Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest)

In fact, from 25th October, the existing zone in central London will expand to the North Circular Road (A406) and South Circular Road (A205) – potentially putting many out of pocket as they adjust to the changes. Londoners that are returning to the office even just two days a week and entering the ULEZ in a non-compliant vehicle, would incur £1,125 in charges per year, while a driver who entered the ULEZ five days a week for work would have to pay up to £2,800 a year.*  

Therefore, it is unsurprising 31% would like to learn more about the zone, and one in seven (14%) plan to sell their vehicle within the next six months. 

As seen in recent news, there has been a surge in interest for electric vehicles, with two thirds (65%) of motorists in and around London likely to buy an electric vehicle in light of the expansion. 

This is despite the fact 29% are concerned that they would not be able to charge the vehicle at home, while 28% are worried that their freedom will be limited when waiting for the car to charge. However, 30% of those surveyed do think that it is necessary for the London ULEZ to be extended to improve the air quality.

new ulez 2021
The new ULEZ, expanding on 25 October 2021. Image source: TFL, ulez.co.uk and airqualitynews.com

Motorway has launched a ULEZ checker to help people find out if their vehicle meets the emissions standards of the expanded zone.  The online tool has already completed over 30,000 ULEZ compliance checks in the first seven days since its  launch on Tuesday 12th October.

Tom Leathes, CEO at Motorway, says:

“Despite having over three years to prepare for the ULEZ expansion, more than half of drivers in and around London are clearly still in the dark about this news and will get a nasty surprise when they cross the north or south circular on Monday.  If the car you’re driving means you’ll be charged when you enter the ULEZ, then selling it may be an obvious choice to save money.  

“With used car prices at an all-time high, now is a great time to sell – and even non-compliant cars are going for great prices as those who live outside of Clean Air Zones like the ULEZ won’t be feeling the pinch of these fuel charges.”

Amanda Stretton, motoring expert said: 

“It’s really shocking that despite Transport for London’s best efforts to communicate the expansion of the ULEZ  only 43% of drivers around the London area have a clue about it. Add to that only 35% know how to even check if their vehicle will be charged! Clearly motorists have had their heads in the sand about this but with more cars on the road now that people are returning to work, we will see a large number of unaware drivers facing penalties from 25th. It will be interesting to see if these penalties translate into an increase in these types of cars going for sale in the not too distant future.”

Used diesel car prices are down over -10% since the start of 2017, as petrol car prices rise

  • Valuations of used diesel cars, five years old or less, fell £1,478 (-10.3%) on average between the start of 2017 and the end of 2018
  • Equivalent petrol car prices were up £895 (+10%) across the same period – suggesting a major shift in demand from diesel to petrol fuelled vehicles
  • Most major car brands (including Ford, VW & Vauxhall) saw diesel prices drop – biggest falls seen with Land Rover, BMW & Audi
  • Data based on a sample of 130,000 valuations of up-to-5 year old diesel and petrol cars on Motorway.co.uk in 2017 and 2018

London, 29th January 2019 – The average price of a used diesel car fell by -10.3% between Q1 2017 and Q4 2018. Diesel car values dropped 5% through 2017, on the back of consistent negative news about the fuel, and new data shows that slump continued through 2018 at a near-identical rate.

The analysis from car buying comparison website Motorway.co.uk also shows equivalent used petrol prices increasing +10% between Q1 2017 and Q4 2018, suggesting a fundamental change in mass consumer sentiment away from diesel towards petrol. This is now a clear trend over two years that shows no signs of changing.

Used diesel cars have seen a sustained drop in average prices since January 2017. The trend is different with petrol, where prices have risen

Motorway.co.uk analysed two years of valuations for more than 130,000 used cars valued on its website, which aggregates live offers from popular online car buying websites and used car dealers. The study looked at trends over time for cars under five years old across all brands, and the two major fuel types – diesel and petrol.

The following table shows average quarterly prices of used diesel and petrol cars from Q1 2017 to Q4 2018:

2017 & 2018 used car valuations – diesel & petrol
Vehicles less than 5 years old

Period Diesel Petrol
2017 Q1 £14,327 £8,912
2017 Q2 £13,799 £8,979
2017 Q3 £14,338 £9,668
2017 Q4 £13,605 £9,765
2018 Q1 £13,608 £9,611
2018 Q2 £13,073 £9,386
2018 Q3 £12,622 £9,370
2018 Q4 £12,849 £9,807
Q1 ’17 to Q4 ’18 Change -10.31% 10.04%

Source: Motorway.co.uk, Jan 2019

As the data shows, diesel prices fell -5% a year in both 2017 and 2018 – a total of -10.3% over the two-year period, representing a consistent downward trend. The average diesel value in Q1 2017 was £14,327, dropping to £13,605 by Q4 2017, and £12,849 a year later – a fall of £1,478 for the average used diesel.

Meanwhile the average petrol price went up +10% from £8,912 in Q1 2017 to £9,807 by Q4 2018, an increase of £895 over the same period of the study.

Car makes

Motorway.co.uk also analysed diesel and petrol valuation data for individual car makes. The research revealed significant differences in how different brands have changed over the past 12 months and two years.

Looking at the most popular makes valued during 2017 and 2018, most major car brands including Ford, Mercedes and Volkswagen saw diesel price drops, with the biggest falls seen with Land Rover, BMW, Vauxhall & Audi.

The average price of a used BMW diesel car has slumped by –16.1% since the start of 2017, falling almost £3,000 from £17,269 in Q1 2017 to £14,441 in Q4 2018. This compares with average prices of BMW petrol variants which have remained steady (falling just –0.6%) over the same period. While the average price of a diesel Audi has fallen –14.3% since the beginning of 2017, compared to a +8.4% increase in price for the petrol variants.

The average price of a Land Rover – almost all of which are diesel-powered – was down more than £6,000 from £30,493 to £24,399 between Q1 2017 and Q4 2018 (a fall of -20%).

The following table shows average used diesel and petrol car values for popular makes of car, comparing Q1 2017, Q4 2017, and Q1 2018:A

Average valuations for diesel & petrol variants

Popular brands – change 2017 – 2018

Diesel Models Q1 ’17 Q4 ’17 Q4 ’18 Change
Audi £17,195 £15,933 £14,740 -14.30%
BMW £17,269 £15,057 £14,481 -16.10%
Ford £10,153 £9,666 £9,447 -7.00%
Hyundai £9,773 £9,386 £9,414 -3.70%
Land Rover* £30,493 £28,395 £24,399 -20.00%
Mercedes £17,346 £16,805 £15,351 -11.50%
Nissan £11,110 £9,863 £9,905 -10.80%
Peugeot £7,353 £6,953 £7,145 -2.80%
Vauxhall £8,064 £7,038 £6,860 -14.90%
Volkswagen  £12,437 £11,426 £11,087 -10.90%
Petrol Models Q1 ’17 Q4 ’17 Q4 ’18 Change
Audi £16,467 £17,444 £17,854 8.40%
BMW £18,347 £18,940 £18,245 -0.60%
Ford £7,784 £8,711 £7,967 2.30%
Hyundai £5,078 £5,870 £5,708 12.40%
Land Rover*  
Mercedes £22,537 £21,244 £20,924 -7.20%
Nissan £8,431 £9,347 £9,202 9.20%
Peugeot £5,625 £5,998 £5,676 0.90%
Vauxhall £6,051 £5,714 £5,628 -7.00%
Volkswagen  £10,270 £9,693 £10,053 -2.10%

* Land Rover vehicle valuations are 97% diesel from 2017-2018

Source: Motorway.co.uk, Jan 2019

Alex Buttle, director of car buying comparison website Motorway.co.uk comments:

“It’s been a tough couple of years for diesel owners. Having been penalised by the Government and ripped apart by the press, diesel prices slumped in 2017. Although we saw early signs of resilience in the first half of 2018, any recovery has been undone recently by worsening consumer sentiment towards diesel. This followed the announcement of wider, more punitive emission zones in London and more rigorous emissions testing for all cars later in the year.

“Increasingly, people looking to buy a used car are deciding on fuel type before choosing what make and model they want to purchase. More people are opting for petrol and diesels are suffering.  Despite newer Euro-6 diesel engines now matching many petrol equivalents for emission levels, consumer sentiment has simply moved away from diesel – possibly forever.

“Perhaps the most interesting trend was used diesel Land Rovers dropping in price by a massive -20% over two years. This suggests they are losing their appeal at the expensive end of the used car market, as more affluent buyers are opting for other options from the likes of Audi, BMW, Volvo and Mercedes – where petrol variants are showing comparatively buoyant valuations.

“But it’s not just with bigger, premium SUVs and 4x4s. Smaller, cheaper used diesels are seeing falling prices too. To add to its woes, Vauxhall has also suffered with a -14.9% average drop in used diesel prices. Meanwhile, most petrol variants of smaller cars across the market are increasing in price, unlike their diesel counterparts.

“Across the UK car market, diesel prices are struggling to maintain buoyancy and this long term trend could be irreversible. The outlook for diesel values into 2019 looks very bleak indeed. Is the era of the diesel gas guzzler over?”

Motorway service update

Updated 19/10/2020: All buyers on our platform are completing transactions in a contact-free way.

This post outlines how our service is affected by the current coronavirus situation, and what you can expect if you sign up to compare prices on our website at this time.

Motorway works with major online car buyers and thousands of individual dealerships around the UK to provide a range of instant offers for your car with a single search – helping you find your best deal as quickly as possible.

After the government’s announcement in March of restrictions on movement, much of the car industry stopped trading. These restrictions on movement have now lifted, and buyers and dealers are able to purchase vehicles again following social distancing guidelines.

All buyers on Motorway buy cars in a contact-free manner to keep sellers safe. You can read more about our guidelines for no-contact car selling here.

As well as online car buyers, our Premium Service is also purchasing cars and has been expanded to work with a broader range of vehicles. Using this service, we are able to profile your vehicle, and search for the highest offer from our nationwide network of over 1,500 dealers across the UK.

Some dealers are still closed, but most are now trading with online-only transactions and no-contact collection.

We will update this page regularly as our service changes and more buyers are enabled. Thank you for your patience. As always, our team are on hand to talk to you about the process at any point, and answer any questions.

Please continue to sign up on Motorway here or you can email our team with questions at any time.

Motorway restarts its daily online auctions and launches new no-contact transport service for dealers

Motorway, the UK’s fastest-growing marketplace for used cars, today resumes its service for private car sellers and dealers nationwide on its, having paused its daily auctions since the coronavirus lockdown was announced. 

Dealers looking to replenish their stock with premium used cars direct from private sellers will now be able to take part in Motorway’s daily auctions, with thousands of cars listed every month. 

In response to COVID-19, Motorway is also launching a new no-contact transport service that puts safety first – providing easy inspection, collection and delivery of cars to dealers in a fast and cost-effective way. 

Motorway was founded three years ago to help simplify the process of used car transactions, all online and without the traditional middlemen involved. The platform allows private car sellers to value and profile their car, and it is then listed in online dealer auctions running daily on its website. 

Motorway is now not just the fastest way to get a great deal, but also the safest. Instead of driving to auctions and coming into close contact with other people, Motorway’s transport service has been designed with the safety of dealers and transport partners in mind, keeping everyone safe and compliant with government regulations. 

To celebrate the launch of its new transport service and help its dealers get back in business, Motorway is offering two free vehicle collections for every dealer on the platform – worth over £500.

Tom Leathes, CEO of Motorway, says:

“We’re in unprecedented times in the used car industry. As everyone looks to start trading again after the lockdown, we have adapted our service to ensure Motorway is the best possible platform for dealers to buy the best cars quickly, cost-effectively and safely.

We know that dealers will now be sourcing more of their stock online, rather than driving to auctions. And to help dealers with that transition, we’re now offering every dealer – whether existing or new to Motorway – free transportation for their first two purchases on the platform.

Having been an online-only service since we launched in 2017, Motorway is uniquely positioned to support dealers in more efficient stock-acquisition processes as we enter a new era of technology-enabled trading.”

The free transport offer will run from May 11 2020 and will be valid for all dealers until 30 June 2020. All collections carried out by Motorway’s transport service will be completed in accordance with Motorway’s contact-free code of conduct, which includes guidelines on how to inspect, collect and purchase cars safely and contact-free.