Selling a used car: the fastest- and slowest-selling models of 2024

As new research names the quickest- and slowest-selling cars of the year, we reveal which model sells in just 12 days – and which is taking almost five months to attract a buyer.

With the new registration plates out this month, many of us may be planning to trade in our cars for a newer model.

However, doing so often depends on getting a good price for our current vehicle and as we all know, some motors tend to shift more quickly than others.

As part of exclusive research for Money Mail, car-selling site Auto Trader has analysed its data to reveal the fastest- and slowest-selling cars during the first six months of 2024.

To arrive at the findings, Auto Trader looked at sales data for approximately 9,000 vehicles and measured how quickly an ad was removed from the site after first being placed.

According to the research, the Peugeot 3008 (pictured above) is the most popular used car, with a typical selling time of just 12 days.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Ferrari California convertible takes an average 147 days – almost five months – to find a buyer.

On a national level, the average selling time for all used cars during this period was 30 days.

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The fastest-selling used cars

Rank	Car	Segment	Fuel type	Age	Average time to sell
1	Peugeot 3008	SUV	Hybrid	Up to one year	12 days
2	Volkswagen Passat	Family saloon	Diesel	One to three years	12 days
3	Lexus UX	SUV	Hybrid	Five to 10 years	14 days
4	SEAT Tarraco	SUV	Diesel	Five to 10 years	14 days
5	SEAT Leon	Family hatch	Plug-in hybrid	Three to five years	15 days
6	Cupra Formentor	SUV	Petrol	Three to five years	15 days
7	Mercedes-Benz GLB	SUV	Hybrid	Up to one year	15 days
8	Ford Ka	City car	Diesel	10 to 15 years	16 days
9	Mazda MX-30	SUV	Electric	Three to five years	16 days
10	Mercedes-Benz GLB	SUV	Diesel	Up to one year	16 days

Source: Auto Trader/Money Mail

As you can see, these cars are shifting in incredibly short periods, with only a few days between the top and 10th place model.

With a typical selling time of 29 days, three- to five-year-old cars are the fastest-moving age group.

In terms of fuel types, petrol vehicles are proving most sellable, again taking an average 29 days to shift, according to the research.

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The slowest-selling used cars

Not every second-hand car is snapped up so quickly.

So, which ones are hanging around the longest, according to Auto Trader?

While the Ferrari California has the dubious honour of being the slowest-selling car in the research, the Audi A6 Saloon isn't far behind – with a typical selling time of 146.5 days.

Frustratingly for sellers, the 10 slowest movers have all taken, on average, well over three months to find a buyer.

Here are the 10 slowest-selling used cars based on the latest Auto Trader data.

Rank	Car	Segment	Fuel type	Age	Average time to sell
1	Ferrari California	Convertible	Petrol	10 to 15 years	147 days
2	Audi A6 Saloon	Luxury saloon	Plug-in hybrid	Up to one year	146.5 days
3	Skoda Enyaq	SUV	Electric	One to three years	126 days
4	Hyundai IONIQ 6	Saloon	Electric	One to three years	123 days
5	Alpine A110	Coupe	Petrol	Up to one year	121.5 days
6	Citroën C5X	Family hatch	Plug-in hybrid	Up to one year	120 days
7	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Family hatch	Petrol	Up to one year	120 days
8	Lexus RZ	SUV	Electric	Up to one year	118 days
9	Lexus RX	SUV	Hybrid	Up to one year	115.5 days
10	Audi RS e-tron GT	Coupe	Electric	Up to one year	115 days

Source: Auto Trader/Money Mail

It's noteworthy that newer cars are proving challenging to sell on, with those under 12 months having an average selling time of 34 days.

Likewise, plug-in hybrids are the slowest-selling fuel type, taking an average 34 days to find a new owner.

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A quick sale vs getting the best price

If you’re selling a used car, there are several things you need to consider, particularly which is more important to you ‒ selling quickly or getting the highest possible price.

If price is your main priority, advertising your car privately through the likes of Auto Trader will likely be the best option.

As you are selling the car directly to its next driver, there is no middleman wanting to take a cut.

However, there are downsides to consider, especially if you’re looking for a quick sale.

In reality, selling your car privately can be a slow process ‒ if there aren’t any buyers looking for your particular model, or if your ad isn’t very eye-catching, it could be months before you manage to sell it.

What about car dealers?

By contrast, the fastest way to sell a car is by trading it in when buying a new one

Car dealers are usually happy to take your old car off your hands and then sell it on.

The trouble is that this tends to fetch a pretty miserable price ‒ the dealer knows you’re desperate for a sale and can play on that to get you to accept a lowball offer.

However, there is a middle ground that allows you to sell the car quickly and get a respectable price.

Car-buying sites such as Motorway and Arnold Clark are a great option, since they connect you quickly with dealers who essentially compete to offer you the best price.

Check out our guide to selling your car online to help work out which is going to be the best method for you.

Or you can get a quote in seconds from Motorway by entering your reg number in the box below. Note this is an affiliate link, which means we might receive a small payment if you decide to sell your car but it won't affect the price you're offered.