The number of cars listed for sale also fell by 1.7 per cent during the month and took an average of 47 days to sell, which association chief executive James Voortman said was evidence of a cooling market.
“December capped off a year where momentum in the used car market steadily eased,” he said.
“Longer days to sell are now a clear trend, reflecting more price sensitivity among buyers and a more balanced market environment compared to the heightened conditions of recent years.”
EVs and hybrids lift market share
Low-emission vehicles such as electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars all increased their share of the used market compared to December 2024, Mr Voortman said, and represented 8.9 per cent of all second-hand cars sold.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles were the only vehicle type to record growth during December – up by 30.3 per cent – although they rose from a low base.
Electric cars retained more of their value in December, at 82.9 per cent, but took longer to sell than all cars at an average of 53.8 days.
Tesla vehicles were the most sought-after EVs, with its Model 3 topping the sales chart followed by the Model Y, while BYD Atto 3 ranked in third place.
