The UK used car market fell -6.2% in the third quarter of 2021 with 2,034,342 vehicles changing hands, the weakest Q3 for six years.
A total of134,257 fewer cars were sold in Q3 2020 when the re-opening of showrooms and easing of lockdown measures saw the market bounce back strongly.
Used car transactions declined in every month across the quarter, with July, August and September all falling, by -4.9%, -5.9% and -7.9% respectively.
Overall, the period is down -2.0% in 2019 pre-pandemic, making it the weakest quarter three since 2015.
Demand for used battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles continued to grow in Q3. Transactions rose by 56.4% and 43.3% to 14,182 and 14,990 respectively.
Indeed, the number of used BEVs that changed hands during the period was the highest recorded in any quarter. Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) transactions also increased by 20.3% to 40,157.
Petrol and diesel powertrains continued to dominate, however, comprising 96.4% of all transactions equivalent to 1,959,955 units, although demand for both declined, by -6.9% and -7.6% respectively.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Despite the used car market declining in the third quarter, record sales earlier in the year, particularly in the second quarter, means the market remains up year to date.
“Given the circumstances, with the global pandemic causing a shortage of semiconductors needed to produce new vehicles, undermining the new car market, used transactions were always going to suffer too.
“This is particularly worrying as fleet renewal – of both new and used – is essential if we are to address air quality and carbon emissions concerns.”