The used car market entered 2026 with strong stock volumes and stable pricing. January’s data highlights how supply is building across both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and the electric used car market, with subtle shifts in dealer participation and stock concentration.
For dealers, lenders, insurers and investors, this month’s numbers offer sharp automotive market insights into supply levels, dealer scale and evolving UK car price trends.
All figures below are drawn from Marketcheck UK’s live and historical listing database, tracking every active used vehicle advert across the UK.
Overall Market Snapshot – January 2026
ICE Used Car Market (Non-Electric)
- Total dealers: 10,694
- Total rooftops: 16,496
- Total listings: 861,831
- Average days on market (DOM): 80 days
- Average price: £18,692
Stock volumes rose strongly from December’s 790,652 listings to 861,831 in January. Average pricing held steady at just under £18,700, signalling stable UK car price trends at the start of the year.
Dealer count eased slightly month on month, yet rooftops increased. That suggests continued expansion among larger dealer groups, consolidating supply under broader networks.
Electric Used Car Market (EV)
- Total EV dealers: 3,257
- Total electric rooftops: 6,982
- Total EV listings: 65,611
- Average days on market: 65 days
- Average price: £24,261
The electric used car market expanded materially in January, with listings rising from 53,279 in December to 65,611.
Average EV pricing softened from £24,747 to £24,261, a movement greater than 2%, reflecting competitive repricing in a growing supply environment.
EVs continue to sell faster than ICE vehicles. With an average 65 days on market compared to 80 days for ICE, buyer demand remains comparatively robust.
Breakdown Of Listings By Price Bands – ICE
January’s ICE stock distribution shows a familiar structure:
- £0–£10K: 236,238 listings
- £10K–£20K: 345,736 listings
- £20K–£30K: 158,974 listings
- £30K–£40K: 53,381 listings
- £40K–£50K: 19,166 listings
- £50K+: 28,641 listings
The £10K–£20K band dominates, accounting for the largest share of the market. Combined with the sub-£10K category, lower-priced vehicles represent the majority of UK used car supply.
The £20K–£30K segment remains sizeable, reflecting strong availability of nearly-new vehicles and premium fleet returns.
Higher price bands above £40K account for a smaller proportion of overall supply, though the £50K+ category remains significant, with nearly 29,000 listings. For finance providers and insurers, that segment presents higher ticket exposure and risk-weighted opportunity.
The average price of £18,692 sits squarely within the core £10K–£20K bracket, reinforcing where most activity is concentrated.
Number Of Dealers By Advert Volumes – ICE
Dealer inventory segmentation shows the following distribution:
- 0–100 vehicles: 9,455 dealers
- 101–250 vehicles: 864 dealers
- 251–500 vehicles: 176 dealers
- 500–1,000 vehicles: 77 dealers
- 1,000+ vehicles: 93 dealers
The market remains heavily skewed towards smaller independent operators. Over 9,400 dealers list fewer than 100 vehicles.
Yet a relatively small group of high-volume operators holds a disproportionate share of total stock. The 93 dealers with over 1,000 vehicles each form a powerful institutional layer within the market.
For investors and lenders, this tiering highlights where scale risk and opportunity sit. Smaller dealers dominate numerically; larger groups dominate volume impact.
Analysis Of Top 100 Dealers By Volume – ICE
The top 100 ICE dealers account for:
- 343,462 vehicles in stock
- Average DOM: 55 days
- Average price: £22,027
Dealers outside the top 100 account for:
- 518,369 vehicles
- Average DOM: 96 days
- Average price: £16,424
The top 100 dealers control roughly 40% of total ICE listings. Their vehicles turn significantly faster, with days on market 25 days shorter than the wider dealer base.
Their average pricing sits over £5,600 higher than the rest of the market. That reflects brand positioning, vehicle mix and structured pricing strategies.
For finance brokers and insurers, this segmentation matters. Larger dealer groups typically offer newer vehicles, higher retail values and faster stock churn. Independents operate deeper in the value segment, with longer selling cycles.
Electric Used Car Market Breakdown By Price Bands
January EV stock by price band:
- £0–£10K: 3,583 listings
- £10K–£20K: 26,624 listings
- £20K–£30K: 19,744 listings
- £30K–£40K: 9,218 listings
- £40K–£50K: 2,636 listings
- £50K+: 3,035 listings
The EV market remains centred between £10K and £30K. That mid-range bracket accounts for the majority of supply.
Compared to ICE vehicles, EV pricing skews higher. The average EV price of £24,261 sits well above the ICE average of £18,692.
The sub-£10K EV category remains relatively small, reflecting the younger age profile of electric vehicles in the UK parc.
Number Of Dealers By Advert Volumes – EV
Dealer distribution in the electric segment:
- 0–100 EVs: 3,045 dealers
- 101–250 EVs: 66 dealers
- 251–500 EVs: 19 dealers
- 500–1,000 EVs: 10 dealers
- 1,000+ EVs: 11 dealers
The EV market remains concentrated among smaller volumes per dealer. Only 11 dealers hold more than 1,000 EVs.
That concentration level creates visibility around which groups are heavily invested in electrified stock. It also reveals opportunity for traditional ICE-focused dealers yet to scale their EV inventory.
For lenders and insurers, EV stock concentration provides insight into risk clustering and exposure to emerging powertrain segments.
Analysis Of Top 100 Dealers By Volume – EV
Top 100 EV dealers in January:
- Stock volume: 43,894 vehicles
- Average DOM: 55 days
- Average price: £24,479
Dealers outside the top 100:
- Stock volume: 21,717 vehicles
- Average DOM: 85 days
- Average price: £23,812
The top 100 EV dealers control approximately two-thirds of all electric listings.
Their stock turns 30 days faster than smaller operators. This suggests more advanced pricing models, better sourcing channels and stronger consumer confidence.
The pricing gap between top 100 and the rest is modest compared to ICE, indicating tighter competitive pressure within EV retailing.
EV Vs ICE – Market Share And Pricing Dynamics
January 2026 share split:
- EV share: 7.61%
- Non-EV share: 92.39%
In December, EV share stood at 6.74%. The increase to 7.61% represents meaningful growth above the 2% threshold.
The electric segment continues to expand its presence within the overall used car market.
Average Price Comparison
- Average EV price: £24,260.81
- Average non-EV price: £18,227.33
EVs carry a premium of over £6,000 compared to non-electric vehicles.
For finance providers, this translates into higher average loan values. For insurers, replacement values remain elevated relative to ICE stock.
Days On Market Comparison
- EV DOM: 65 days
- ICE DOM: 80 days
EVs continue to transact faster than traditional vehicles. That differential offers strong automotive market insights into buyer appetite and pricing elasticity.
Top 10 Electric Models By Volume
January’s leading EV models:
- Tesla Model 3 – 4,026 listings
- Tesla Model Y – 2,602 listings
- Nissan Leaf – 1,866 listings
- Volkswagen ID.3 – 1,695 listings
- Vauxhall Mokka – 1,560 listings
- Audi Q4 e-tron – 1,522 listings
- Mini Hatch – 1,514 listings
- Hyundai Kona – 1,502 listings
- Polestar 2 – 1,452 listings
- Peugeot 2008 – 1,334 listings
Tesla models continue to dominate UK EV supply. The Model 3 alone represents over 6% of total EV listings.
For remarketing platforms and investment analysts, brand concentration risk is visible within electric stock profiles.
What This Means For UK Automotive Businesses
January’s figures show:
- Strong growth in overall stock levels.
- Expanding EV market share.
- Stable ICE pricing.
- Faster EV stock turn.
- High concentration among large dealer groups.
For:
Car Dealers
Benchmark your pricing against top 100 operators. Track days on market by powertrain and region. Identify which price bands are oversupplied.
Insurance Companies
Monitor EV growth trajectories. Adjust underwriting models around average claim values aligned to £24K+ EV pricing.
Finance Lenders And Brokers
Assess loan-to-value ratios against current UK car price trends. EVs now represent a rising share of higher-value transactions.
Investors And Analysts
Evaluate market concentration across dealer tiers. The top 100 control material portions of both ICE and EV supply.