The UK used car market returned to growth in the second quarter of 2026, with demand for used electric vehicles rising at a much faster rate than the overall market.
According to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 2,009,318 used cars changed hands between April and June, representing a 0.7% increase compared with the same period last year.
It was the first second quarter since 2021 in which used-car transactions exceeded two million. The market was also just 1.2% below its pre-pandemic level, highlighting the continued strength of Britain’s second-hand car sector.
The stronger Q2 performance offset a small decline in the first quarter, leaving the UK used car market up 0.2% year to date, with 4,025,550 transactions recorded during the first half of 2026.
Used EV sales jump 67%
The biggest story from the latest figures is the rapid growth of used battery electric vehicle sales.
A total of 110,761 used battery electric cars changed hands during the second quarter, an impressive 67.0% increase compared with Q2 2025.
That made battery electric vehicles one of the fastest-growing parts of the UK used car market, with EV transactions increasing substantially faster than overall used-car demand.
EV market share also continued to climb. Battery electric cars represented 5.5% of all used-car transactions between April and June, compared with 3.3% during the same period a year earlier.
The increase was particularly strong at the beginning of the quarter. Used EV transactions jumped 110.9% in April and 57.6% in May year over year, before growth moderated to 37.8% in June.
The rapid increase suggests that more motorists are becoming comfortable buying electric cars on the second-hand market as a wider range of models becomes available at more accessible prices.
For buyers who have previously been priced out of the new EV market, the growing supply of used electric cars is making ownership considerably more attainable.
Hybrid demand is also rising
Battery electric vehicles were not the only electrified powertrain to gain ground.
Used hybrid electric vehicle transactions increased by 31.2% during the quarter to 130,825 units. Hybrids accounted for 6.5% of the used-car market, up from 5.0% in Q2 2025.
Plug-in hybrids followed a different trend. Transactions fell 6.8% to 22,856 units, reducing their share of the market to 1.1%.
The figures show that demand is increasingly shifting toward electrified vehicles, although conventional petrol cars still dominate Britain’s used-car market.
Petrol remains dominant as diesel continues to decline
Petrol remained the UK’s most popular fuel type among used-car buyers, despite transactions falling 1.2% to 1,121,243 units.
Diesel continued its longer-term decline, with transactions dropping 7.2% to 620,045 vehicles.
The shrinking supply of newer diesel vehicles entering the used market is contributing to the decline, while changing consumer preferences and tightening emissions regulations continue to affect demand.
Despite the rapid growth of electric and hybrid cars, conventionally fuelled vehicles still accounted for 86.7% of all used-car transactions in Q2.
That means the transition toward electrification is gathering pace, but petrol and diesel vehicles remain an important part of the UK second-hand market.
Superminis remain the most popular used cars
Britain’s preference for smaller, practical vehicles was also reflected in the latest figures.
Superminis remained the UK’s best-selling used-car segment, accounting for 31.7% of total demand. Transactions in the category increased by 0.2%.
Lower-medium cars ranked second, representing 26.6% of the market and also recording 0.2% growth.
The strongest growth came from dual-purpose vehicles, which include many SUVs and crossover models. Transactions in this category climbed 7.4%, giving it a 17.7% share of the used market.
The popularity of crossovers and SUVs could provide another opportunity for the used EV market as an increasing number of electric models enter the second-hand market.
More used EV choice could accelerate adoption
The latest figures point to a significant change in the UK’s used-car market.
Electric vehicles are still a relatively small part of total second-hand transactions, but their growth rate is considerably higher than the market average. The increasing number of electric models reaching the used market is giving buyers more choices across different price points and vehicle segments.
This could become particularly important as consumers look for ways to reduce running costs without paying the higher purchase prices associated with many new EVs.
Fuel prices also influenced buying patterns during the quarter. The SMMT noted particularly strong EV growth in April and May, when fuel prices increased amid the Middle East conflict.
However, the underlying expansion of the used EV market goes beyond short-term fuel-price movements. More electric cars are now entering the second-hand market after their initial new-car registrations, creating a larger pool of vehicles for private buyers.
For consumers considering an electric car, the used market is therefore becoming an increasingly important alternative to buying new.
UK used-car market enters the second half stronger
The 0.7% increase in Q2 helped the wider used-car market return to growth after a weaker first quarter.
More importantly for the EV industry, the 67% increase in used battery electric transactions shows that electric cars are beginning to establish a much stronger presence in Britain’s second-hand market.
With 110,761 used EVs changing hands in just three months, the pace of growth is significantly ahead of the overall market.
As more electric vehicles come off leases and enter the second-hand market, the supply of affordable used EVs should continue to expand. That could make the used market an increasingly important driver of EV adoption in the UK.
The challenge will be ensuring that enough affordable vehicles reach buyers while maintaining a healthy supply of cars entering the used market from the new-car sector.
For now, however, the latest SMMT figures provide a clear signal: used electric car demand in the UK is growing rapidly, and the second-hand market is becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s transition to electric driving.
[source: SMMT]
