BIG IS BEST IN JUNE AS MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER ROARS OFF UK FORECOURTS

• 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander diesel automatic was on average the UK’s fastest selling used car in June – taking an average of 19 days to sell
• Despite new car struggles, diesel was the most popular used car fuel type last month
• i-Control users enjoy 56% improvement on stock turn in June 2018

6^th July 2018 – London: Data from Auto Trader, the UK’s largest marketplace for used and new cars, revealed that the Mitsubishi Outlander (2015 diesel automatic) was the UK’s fastest selling used car in June, taking an average of just 19 days to turn.

The Japanese SUV’s pole position in June marked what was a popular month for larger vehicles. Following closely behind the Mitsubishi at the top of the national top 10 list, was Mazda’s popular SUV CX-5 (2016 diesel manual) which also took an average of 19 days to sell, Audi’s A4 Avant estate (2016 diesel automatic) at 20 days, and in fourth position, the manual version of the Outlander (2015 diesel manual), at 21 days.

Looking across the UK, it was a similar story of bigger is better. Of the 13 countries and regions monitored, seven were either an SUV, MPV or an estate car: East Midlands (2015 VW Passat – diesel manual – 18 days); London (2015 Mitsubishi Outlander – electric hybrid automatic – 15 days); Scotland (2016 Hyundai Tucson – diesel manual – 14 days), South (2015 Mitsubishi Outlander – electric hybrid automatic – 18 days); South East (2017 VW Sharan – diesel manual – 23 days); South West (2015 Ford Kuga – diesel manual – 25 days); and Wales (2015 Ford Kuga – diesel manual – 31 days).

Despite the latest new car market data, which revealed new diesel registrations fell 28.2% in June, in terms of popularity, used diesels fared much better, making six of the national top 10, and seven of the 13 countries and regions tracked across the UK.

Hitting targets will always be determined by how quickly a retailer can turn their stock around and using data is the key to speeding it up. Users of i-Control, Auto Trader’s data management solution, took an average of just 29 days to sell a car in June, compared to a market average of 63 – 56% faster than those that don’t use the data management tool.

Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader Retailer & Consumer Products Director, said: “Despite what has been at times a turbulent first six months of the year, as we enter into the second half of 2018 it’s reassuring to see that consumer demand for quality used cars remains strong. However, whilst the forecast for the full year suggests a healthy H2, the market will face a number of challenges, not least the ongoing uncertainty around diesel and Brexit. What’s more, the new WLTP – Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure – emissions testing will no doubt have an impact on the traditional seasonal sales patterns.

“In an increasingly challenging and competitive market, utilising data to complement your own expertise can make all the difference in helping your business stand out, create a more compelling user experience, build trust, and improve efficiencies across the business. Retailers using forecourt management solutions, such as i-Control, are much better set to understand which used cars are in demand in their area and how to maximise the speed of sale, and ultimately, cut costs, boost turnover and increase profit.”

The UK’s Top 10 Fastest Selling Used Cars in June 2018: