The used cars that have risen most in value

Certain used car models have actually grown in value with age, making them even more valuable today than a couple of years ago.

In ordinary times the value of a used car would drop over time.

However, the car market is in an odd spot at the moment, to the point that certain models are actually becoming more valuable as they age.

New research from AA Cars, the AA’s used car website, has identified some of these in-demand used cars, comparing the average price of three- and five-year models in the third quarter of 2021 with how much they are going for today.

And surprisingly certain models have seen notable price increases over that time period.

Let’s take a look at the vehicles that have become more pricey with age.

Rank	Model	Price of three-year-old car in Q3 2021	Price of five-year-old car in Q3 2023	Percentage increase
1	Toyota Aygo	£8,331	£9,635	15.7%
2	Vauxhall Corsa	£8,754	£9,791	11.9%
3	Volkswagen Polo	£12,579	£13,592	8.1%
4	Fiat 500	£8,972	£9,626	7.3%
5	Toyota Yaris	£12,273	£12,865	4.8%
6	Ford Fiesta	£11,455	£11,910	4%
7	Ford Focus	£14,152	£14,255	0.7%

Top spot goes to the Aygo, which costs almost 16% more today than the same model would have set you back in 2021.

In pure cash terms that’s more than £1,000 extra, no small change.

At the core of this jump has been the way that demand for motors outweighs the supply.

The pandemic has crippled the production of semiconductors, which are used in so many new cars. While these new cars are not being produced, there are plenty of motorists who still need to upgrade their motor.

And as they can’t get a brand new car, they are instead turning their attention to used cars that meet their needs, which is driving up the values.

Cars going up - and down - in value

The AA is not the only outfit to point to the growing popularity ‒ and with it the price ‒ of certain used motors.

Each month AutoTrader publishes a used car index, pinpointing the used cars that are growing the most in value, as well as those that have dropped.

Model	Average asking price October 2023	Year-on-year change
Volkswagen Beetle	£8,010	12.2%
Peugeot Partner Tepee	£9,752	10.3%
Dacia Sandero Stepway	£9,810	8.9%
Mercedes Benz M Class	£12,002	8.7%
Volvo V70	£7,226	8.4%
Fiat Panda	£6,358	8.3%
Dacia Sandero	£8,398	8.1%
Land Rover Freelander	£8,730	7.7%
Toyota Avensis	£5,618	7.3%
Mitsubishi ASX	£11,336	6.9%

Those are some substantial year-on-year improvements, with those selling these used models pocketing higher sums than was previously achievable.

The used cars that have seen the biggest value decreases

Of course, not all used cars have seen such incredible jumps in value. Some have instead seen the prices on offer drop, or at least barely move.

Here are the 10 models that have seen the smallest increases ‒ or, in fact, decreases ‒ in asking price over the last year.

Model	Average asking price October 2023	Year-on-year change
BMW i3	£17,357	-24.8%
Renault Zoe	£14,225	-24.6%
Nissan Leaf	£16,034	-23.6%
Porsche Taycan	£87,015	-22.7%
Vauxhall Mokka-e	£22,791	-22.6%
Audi Q4 e-tron	£42,895	-21.1%
Hyundai IONIQ	£16,253	-20.1%
Citroen e-C4	£22,774	-19.8%
Volkswagen ID.4	£37,511	-19.2%
Fiat 500e	£21,633	-19.1%

Those are some awfully painful drops if you happen to have one of these models ready to sell.

It’s also notable how many of these vehicles are electric cars.

A big factor here is simply supply ‒ early adopters of electric motors are increasingly looking to trade in for a newer model, meaning that there is no shortage of used electric options.

And that oversupply is pushing the prices down, in some cases by eyewatering amounts.

It is also worth pointing out that the cars that have seen the biggest price drops are also a fair bit more expensive than those that have seen price increases, suggesting that it’s more premium models which are suffering.

Getting the best value for your vehicle

It’s one thing to have a highly sought-after car to sell; however, the way that you go about selling it will have a big impact on the price you actually get.

If your priority is to get the highest possible price, then you will have to sell it directly yourself, perhaps even through a site like Auto Trader.

This will involve more work though, and could take a while in order to find an interested buyer willing to pay the price you want.

A faster option will be to make use of a car-buying website like Motorway or WeBuyAnyCar. You’ll have to take a smaller price, but it will happen far more swiftly and at least you can guarantee getting a deal.

The last option will be part exchanging the car with a dealership you’re using to purchase your new vehicle. Again, it’s a straightforward option, but it tends to work out the worst possible value for you.

Check out our comprehensive guide to getting the best price for your used car.