SMMT: Used car market bounces back to pre-pandemic level in first half

• Used car sales reach almost 2 million units in second quarter as new car sector slowly recovers.
• One in 10 used car transactions electrified, with record 68,721 battery electric vehicles changing hands.
• Overall market back to pre-pandemic level in first half of the year, surpassing 4 million units.

The UK's used car market grew by 1.7% in the second quarter to reach almost two million (1,996,116) transactions in the best Q2 performance since 2021,according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It was the 10th consecutive quarter of growth, driven by ongoing recovery in the new car sector, and realigned the market within 1% of pre-pandemic levels in the first half of 2025 as 4,017,106 pre-owned cars found new owners, up 2.2% on last year.