"According to new research from Motorway, the UK's fastest-growing used car marketplace, the majority (78%) of used-car dealerships in the UK are more worried about stock availability heading into 2026 than they were this year, as the UK car parc shifts toward older and more electric vehicles - a trend that risks misalignment with consumer demand. Of the 500 UK used-car dealership decision makers surveyed, 36% said that the affordability of stock is a top concern for the year ahead."
"While UK dealers are used to changes in the used-car market, often driven by new car supply issues, and ongoing economic uncertainty, 74% think that they've already lost some sales due to stock scarcity, and 73% think this could significantly impact profitability next year. Even when dealers are able to source the right vehicles, nearly half (46%) say they're facing tighter margins as they look to remain competitive."
"When asked which cars were hardest to source and most in demand, dealers cited hybrid vehicles (48%). Other types of vehicles that were listed as harder to source included 3-5 year old petrol cars (40%), 3-5 year old diesel cars (39%) and EVs (36%). Dealers attribute increased challenges in sourcing stock to greater competition from larger dealers (45%), challenges in finding the right stock at an affordable price (47%) and limited access to private seller stock (33%)."
The UK used-car market shows renewed momentum while dealers report rising concern about future stock availability, especially heading into 2026. A Motorway survey found 78% of dealers more worried about stock, with 36% citing affordability of stock as a top concern. Many dealers (74%) report lost sales from scarcity and 73% expect profitability impacts next year. Nearly half (46%) face tighter margins when sourcing competitive vehicles. Hard-to-find segments include hybrids (48%), 3–5 year petrol (40%), diesel (39%) and EVs (36%). Key sourcing challenges include competition from larger dealers, affordability, and limited private-seller access.
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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