The Ford Fiesta is still the UK's best-selling used car

The Ford Fiesta has once again topped the best-selling used car sales chart in the UK. In 2024, a mighty 306,207 second-hand examples were sold, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). And it trumped its nearest rival, the Vauxhall Corsa, by over 50,000. Blimey.

In its production heyday, Fiesta sales exceeded 4.1m, making it the UK's bestselling car of all-time. Thusly, there's a veritable tonne of well-seasoned, reasonably comfortable and shrewdly priced examples hanging around the used market, awaiting enthusiastic learners to add a few more dings to their bodywork.

Elsewhere, the SMMT reports folks are buying more used electrified cars (full battery-electric, mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid), citing a remarkable 43.3 per cent increase on 2023 figures. It reckons the introduction of road tax on EVs this coming April as the reason folks are likely trading in and selling on.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief, said: "Record sales of second hand EVs also demonstrates strong appetite for these cutting-edge cars at lower price points. 

"Ensuring ongoing growth, however, means maintaining that affordability, along with supply, which requires meaningful fiscal incentives to stimulate consumer demand for new EVs and removing the VED expensive car tax disincentive that risks dragging down used EV affordability for years to come."

The final rollcall (in sales) for 2024 used cars stands as follows:

1. Ford Fiesta - 306,207
2. Vauxhall Corsa - 252,761
3. Volkswagen Golf - 231,440
4. Ford Focus - 228,220
5. Mini - 160,516
6. Vauxhall Astra - 159,495
7. BMW 3 Series - 158,674
8. Volkwagen Polo - 151,786
9. Nissan Qashqai - 138,810
10. BMW 1 Series - 125,440