Q2 Sees Increase in Popularity of Smaller More Fuel-Efficient Used Cars

Q2 Sees Increase in Popularity of Smaller More Fuel-Efficient Used Cars

Nottingham, UK, 9 September, 2010 - Experian®, the global information services company, today published used car sales statistics in the UK for the second quarter of 2010.

Total used car sales during April to June were 0.7 per cent lower than Q2 2009.This represents the smallest annual drop in sales for two years.  The fall in sales was led by the upper medium segment (down by 5.8 per cent), followed by the sports segment (down by 2.3 per cent). 

The mini and supermini categories, which include the Daewoo Matiz and the Smart Fortwo and the Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Fiesta respectively, were the only segments to buck the trend and with an increase in sales of 7.7 per cent and 2.9 per cent respectively. 

When coupled with news that both hybrid and electric fuelled cars saw annual increases of 37.7 per cent and 29.7  per cent, it shows the increasing popularity of smaller, green and more fuel efficient vehicles.

Joe Myers, Director for Commercial for Experian Credit Services, comments: “After hitting a ten year low in Q4 2009, when only 145,9624 used cars were sold, each quarter has seen sales rise and this is the second consecutive quarter to see an improvement.  

“Although the year-on-year picture reveals a fall in sales, in context, it represents a relatively smaller drop.  The increase in sales of cars in the mini segment and also hybrid and electric goes to show that using market intelligence to support car sales can be the key to spotting trends and really understanding the market in which you are trading.”

Make
Year-on-year, used cars from all makes saw their sales fall.  After Rover, Fiat saw the highest decline in used car sales, down 11.7 percent.  The best selling car by volume in Q2 2010 was the Ford Fiesta with over 75,000 units sold.

Fuel
Petrol was the only fuel category to see an annual drop in used car sales, down 1.4 per cent. 

AgeCars between 0-3 years old, were the only group to to see both an annual and quarterly decline in sales with 10.4 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively.  In fact, it was the only age group to see a quarterly decline at all.

Source: Experian’s MarketView Online and the DVLA

Source: Experian’s MarketView Online and the DVLA

Source: Experian’s MarketView Online and the DVLA

Source: Experian’s MarketView Online and the DVLA

Contact:
Natalie Hale
Telephone: 0115 992 2645/07971 709274
Email: natalie.hale@uk.experian.com

About Experian Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 90 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2010 was $3.9 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and São Paulo, Brazil. 

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.