The Ford Fiesta was the UK’s best-selling used car and the Toyota Prius was the second fastest-selling used car in September, according to Indicata’s new data.

The Fiesta was the top-selling used car in September, according to Indicata

Prices for the two models, both of which are no longer on sale in the UK, are also expected to continue rising against a backdrop of strong demand and falling supply.

The Fiesta officially launched in 1976 and went on to become the UK’s best-selling car of all time before production stopped earlier this year. The Prius meanwhile launched in 1997 as the world’s first mass-produced petrol-electric hybrid vehicle but is now only available as a used car, with the latest fifth-gen version not having been brought to the UK.

Demand for the two as used models is expected to remain high for some time, although Indicata has said the Ford Puma is ready to take over the Fiesta’s used car mantle

“The Puma has quietly become the best-selling new car in 2023 year to date which is already translating into strong used demand,” explained Jon Mitchell, group sales director.

Indicata’s data also shows reveals that Tesla’s Model Y was September’s fastest-selling used car while the VW Golf and Vauxhall Corsa were close on the Fiesta’s heels as the UK’s top-selling used car.

Smaller models account for five out of the top six cars in both Indicata tables, reinforcing that bigger ticket used cars are still slower to sell in the current market.

Prices continued to fall in September by 1.87% and are 11.3% lower than January 2022. It’s the biggest fall of any country in Europe, and “a sign that the used market is slowly getting itself back to a more affordable level”.

Used EVs are starting to show signs of price stability, helped by used EV prices falling by 38% over the past 12 months. This has helped stimulate sales and contribute to bringing down Market Days’ Supply (MDS) to a similar level to petrol and diesel.

“It’s still early days for used EVs but there are more consistent signs of rising sales and falling stock levels. Stock levels of used EVs are now more into line with ICE cars now, which must be a positive sign. They are no longer having to play catch up which is important now used car volumes are rising as new car production improves,” said Mitchell.