As summer begins to wind down, and the new 66 plate's imminent arrival means people will be in search of their next car, it’s an appropriate time for a leading motor trade website to publish its latest list of the fastest-selling vehicles from the forecourts of the UK’s used car dealers.
It bases its data on the average length of time taken for the models listed to sell. If you’re looking for a quality used car, you can use this list to steer you towards the most popular cars on the market, and help you narrow down your search.
1. Hyundai ix35 petrol
This small MPV is considered great value in a crowded sector, namely small MPVs, thanks largely to the manufacturer’s transferable five-year warranty with no mileage restrictions. Generous extra equipment starts with air-conditioning, alloy wheels and all-round electric windows on the base S model, and gets more comprehensive from there too.
2. Vauxhall Mokka automatic
The Mokka is said to be doing well because it’s available for competitive prices of just on five figures or even less for a year-old model. Autocar likes that the Mokka is “offered with both two and four-wheel drive, with either petrol or diesel engines, and there are automatic versions of the two-wheel drive models.”
3. Mercedes-Benz SLK diesel
As summer reaches its height again, this convertible is coming into its own, with diesel models doing particularly well. Auto Express reckons this is because it adds plenty of efficiency to a recipe which has already been given a good dose of power, making the SLK “a handsome, swift, comfortable and economical all-rounder that’s still good fun.”
4. Citroen C4 Grand Picasso diesel auto
Praised for its “fantastic interior design” by Carbuyer.co.uk, which means its “huge windows and vast windscreen bathe the spacious cabin with plenty of light”, this pleasurable driving and travelling experience is backed up by reasonable running costs for a car which is versatile enough to cope with the demands of every kind of family trip.
5. Ford B-Max petrol auto
A relative newcomer at the smaller end of the MPV spectrum, the B-Max is hailed by the experts at Parkers as “in some respects the perfect compromise [with] compact dimensions that's easy to park in tight spots and its clever use of space could prove irresistible to young families where spaciousness is a top priority.”
6. Peugeot 3008 diesel auto
Autocar credits it with “the best-finished modern Peugeot cabin yet”, with “robustly crafted fittings fashioned from fine soft-feel materials and metallic trim”. Add to this that it also reckons it’s a better buy than the smaller Nissan Qashqai, and it’s plain why the 3008 has achieved such a high placing.
7. Toyota Aygo petrol semi-auto
While being marketed as a city-friendly runabout, the clever design of the Aygo results in plenty of interior space, with one owner on Vcars.co.uk praising it for being “surprisingly comfortable on long trips, [having] plenty of headroom, [handling] well, with a good gearbox and more of a kick than I would have expected from such a small engine.”
8. Mercedes-Benz A-Class diesel
This model is, says TopGear.com, a popular company car choice, but this brings advantages that it’s probably been driven long distances in a fairly relaxed manner while being comprehensively serviced and maintained. They particularly praised the quietness of the 1.8-litre diesel engine too.
9. Ford C-Max petrol
Especially sought-after in petrol guise partly because they’re comparatively so much rarer than the diesels, Carwow.co.uk says this is also understandable given that the one-litre Ecoboost engine “punches well above its weight”, and the C-Max “is also surprisingly nice to drive for a family-focused people carrier,” as well as offering “an unexpectedly tactile and engaging ride”.
10. Mercedes-Benz E-Class cabrio diesel
The E-Class manages to be the marque’s second soft-top on the list by virtue of its “practicality and low running costs with a flashy appearance and retractable roof”. But according to Auto Express, they’re far from its only virtues, combining to make this “one of the easiest to live with cabriolets on the market”. It’s also praised for being well-designed and looking and feeling very expensive, and topped off with “more standard equipment than ever”.
Which of these top-rated used cars would make your wanted list? Let us know on our Facebook page, then head over to see our current used car stocklist.