People carriers only vehicle type to increase in sales and Londoners still the most loyal to 4x4s

News release

 

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Serj Heera
Press Relations Manager, Automotive
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People carriers only vehicle type to increase in sales and Londoners still the most loyal to 4x4s

 

Nottingham, UK, 25 March 2009 - The latest used car sales statistics from Experian®, the global information services company, show that the used MPV segment is delivering resilient performance despite sales of larger engine vehicles falling during October to December 2008.

 

Vehicles with larger engines, including the used luxury, executive, sports and upper medium segments all saw significant falls in sales.  However, the used MPV segment was the only vehicle type to see sales increase significantly throughout the country (up 7.9 per cent).

 

Furthermore, Experian’s analysis shows that Greater London is the country’s MPV hotspot - which grew by 19.0 per cent during the last three months of 2008.

 

In addition, sales of used 4x4s in Greater London bucked the national trend and increased by 14.1 per cent during quarter four.  The only other region to see an increase in the sale of used 4x4s during this period was the North – up by just 0.2 per cent.

 

Over all, across the country, used car sales fell by 8.5 per cent during October, November and December, bringing the used car sales figures for the year to 7,179,796 - down 4.9 per cent on 2007. 

 

Kirk Fletcher, Managing Director of Experian’s Automotive division, said: “The latest used car sales statistics show that despite a greater focus on smaller, more economical vehicles, the fall in sales for the used supermini and mini segments were still on a par with, for example, the upper medium and the sports segments.  It indicates that even in a downturn there is a certain degree of reluctance to downgrade in size.

 

“In the current environment, this kind of insight is crucial for dealers to help them identify which used vehicle types are proving most popular with buyers.  Experian’s MarketView Online can help dealers analyse specific markets, understand key market trends, forecast and benchmark sales, plan stocking levels for used cars and quantify opportunities for vehicle servicing.”

 

Segment

Q4 2008

% change from Q4 2007

Year to date 2008

% change from 2007

Supermini

448206

-7.6

2104472

-2.5

Lower Medium

434926

-5.9

2035999

-3.9

Upper Medium

301872

-7.9

1369817

-8.5

4x4/SUV

99454

-5.9

440936

-4.8

Executive

72539

-9.1

329673

-9.2

MPV

68513

7.9

320072

9.7

Sports

49921

-8.3

246348

-4.0

Mini

23556

-8.2

112932

-2.1

Luxury

10589

-10.2

47232

-12.7

Unspecified

12898

-73.2

172315

-26.0

Total

1522474

-8.5

7179796

-4.9

Source: Experian’s MarketView Online and the DVLA

 

Make

Q4 2008

% change from Q4 2007

Year to date 2008

% change from 2007

Ford

235141

-9.6

1109377

-7.2

Vauxhall

217422

-2.4

987445

-3.5

Peugeot

114783

-7.7

547879

-4.8

Renault

101838

-10.9

492848

-5.1

Volkswagen

108254

-4.4

492460

-0.7

Rover

61740

-20.8

308593

-18.2

BMW

68011

-5.6

308190

-1.1

Nissan

56553

-14.3

270847

-8.7

Citroen

55527

-5.4

264841

-1.2

Toyota

52626

-16.1

260650

-7.4

Fiat

51082

-12.5

244674

-6.8

Mercedes-Benz

43963

-7.2

203649

-2.3

Honda

43778

-5.0

202788

-2.1

~Others

311756

-8.4

1485555

-2.8

Total

1522474

-8.5

7179796

-4.9

Source: Experian’s MarketView Online and the DVLA

 

Fuel

Q4 2008

% change from Q4 2007

Year to date 2008

% change from 2007

Petrol

1129302

-10.3

5400411

-6.5

Diesel

389097

-2.8

1758695

0.2

Hybrid

1333

20.2

6542

63.5

Electric

19

-89.5

924

95.3

Unspecified

2723

-12.7

13224

-1.0

Total

1522474

-8.5

7179796

-4.9

Source: Experian’s MarketView Online and the DVLA

 

Age

Q4 2008

% change from Q4 2007

Year to date 2008

% change from 2007

up to 3 years

321760

-9.5

1583326

-6.1

3 to 6 years

351631

-10.2

1677182

-6.6

6 to 9 years

321097

-6.6

1502199

-1.8

9 years plus

527986

-7.9

2417089

-4.9

Total

1522474

-8.5

7179796

-4.9

Source: Experian’s MarketView Online and the DVLA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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