Monthly Market Update: Used-car sales pick up speed in March
01 April 2025
Used-car markets across Europe saw sales pick up speed from February to March. But did all powertrains benefit from this trend? Tom Geggus, Autovista24 editor, examines the data with Autovista Group experts.
On average, two-to-four-year-old cars were sold more quickly in March 2025 than in February. Austria saw one of the greatest improvements, with 6.3 stock days saved between the two months.
The UK, Spain and Switzerland were not far behind, narrowing the gap by 5.6, 4.9 and 4.8 days on average respectively. Stock days in Germany shrank by 3.5 days, while Italy only managed to shave off 0.4 days. The time needed to sell a used car in France did increase, but only by 0.2 days on average.
Faster used-car sales
However, not all powertrains saw the same speedy sales performance across these markets. In Austria, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) took the longest time to sell.
The powertrain continues to struggle across many markets. Rapid technological development means used BEVs are ageing more quickly as consumers compare their capabilities with newer, more advanced models.
A lack of charging infrastructure development and deployment is also holding potential buyers back. For many, the shorter refuelling time of an internal-combustion engine (ICE) still appears more convenient.
The UK was the major exception to this trend, where BEVs were the fastest-selling powertrain. With the technology recording comparatively lower levels of value retention, some buyers were looking to snap up a deal.
Meanwhile, hybrid technology, including full (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), recorded the fastest selling times across many markets. These powertrains were snapped up in France, Germany, Italy and Spain during March.
The technology offers a bridge for many buyers. The powertrain provides faster ICE refuelling and improved fuel economy thanks to the assistance of electric motors. This is leading to demand on the used-car market with shorter selling times.
Stock days fall in Austria
Following a significant increase in February, the sales-volume index (SVI) in Austria decreased slightly in March. The number of observed sales decreased by 2.2% compared to the previous month. This was a year-on-year decline of 9.5%.
Meanwhile, the active-market volume index (AMVI) of two-to-four-year-old passenger cars increased slightly in March by 1.4%. However, the supply volume of passenger cars in this age bracket was down by 5.8% compared to the previous year.
‘At 68.6 days, the average amount of time needed to sell a used car decreased significantly in March,’ commented Robert Madas, Autovista Group’s regional head of valuations. ‘This was around six days faster than in February.’
Diesel vehicles continued to be the fastest-selling powertrain, averaging 64.7 days last month. This was followed by HEV at 68 days, petrol vehicles at 70.1 days and PHEVs at 71.6 days. BEVs took the longest amount of time to sell at 74.6 days.
Residual values (RVs) of 36-month-old cars at 60,000km presented as a percentage of the original list price (%RV), decreased to 48.3% on average in March. This was a 0.5 percentage point (pp) decrease compared to February but a 3.5pp fall year-on-year.
HEVs retained the greatest amount of trade value in January at 52.5%, followed by petrol cars at 50%. Then came diesel models with 47.9% and PHEVs with 46.8%. BEVs again retained the lowest amount of value at 44.1%. However, this was a slight improvement compared to the previous months.
‘Thanks to weakening demand and unwavering supply, values are forecast to fall in the coming years. However, this decline will be at a slower pace,’ Madas added. ‘By the end of 2025, %RVs are expected to decrease by 0.9%. In 2026, a slight year-on-year drop of 0.7% is expected.’
France sees RV stability
‘RVs remained stable in France during March,’ outlined Ludovic Percier, Autovista Group’s senior RV analyst for France. ‘Some powertrains saw a slight increase compared with February, such as diesel and PHEVs. Overall, values remained stable compared with December 2024.’
%RVs also increased very slightly for petrol cars. This counterbalanced the drop recorded in February. Meanwhile, list prices and absolute RVs increased marginally. The used petrol vehicle market was quite stable until December last year. However, values remained strong overall.
Diesel cars continued to see their value-retention rates increase. This contrasts with a negative trend recorded at the end of 2024. There is still demand for the fuel type on the used-car market. However, there are smaller volumes and model ranges on offer compared to previous years. Alongside HEVs, diesel cars are among the fastest-selling powertrains, evidencing how much demand they are in.
The absolute value of HEVs was stable in March after values dropped in the last couple of months. However, the technology is still the fastest selling. HEVs are still appreciated in France, so %RVs remained roughly stable overall.
PHEVs were still the second slowest-selling powertrain in France during March as oversupply continued. However, the introduction of newer, more premium models with better electric ranges have helped keep RVs roughly stable.
While values did increase compared with January and February, figures only returned to the levels recorded at the end of last year. List prices on the market remain high, explaining the powertrain’s greater value loss.
BEVs underperform
All-electric vehicles also struggled, seeing fewer vehicles sold compared to February. ‘BEVs not only spent the longest amount of time in stock but also recorded the lowest RVs. Values fell considerably in previous months, then January and February saw marginal increases, but March was stable overall,’ Percier outlined.
BEVs appear to be stagnating, as brands are pushed by governments to sell more new all-electric models. This means the used-BEV market is becoming crowded while also having too few buyers.
BEV purchase incentives became dependent on lifetime carbon emissions at the end of 2023. This made some brands and models ineligible. So, used models remained expensive, causing prices to drop. Where demand does not meet supply, the market sees lower values and prices.
Weak demand in Germany
Following a significant increase in February, Germany’s SVI showed a steep decrease in March. Compared to the previous month, this metric was down 14.1%. Compared with March 2023, the indicator dropped by 28.8% year-on-year.
The AMVI for two-to-four-year-old passenger cars showed a slight increase of 2.4%. However, the supply volume of passenger cars in this age bracket dropped by 16.9% compared to 12 months ago.
The average number of days needed to sell a used car decreased to 60.6 days in March. PHEVs sold the fastest at 54.7 days, followed by diesel cars at 56.7 days. Then came BEVs at 57.7 days, petrol cars after 64.8 days and HEVs at 65.5 days.
%RVs of 36-month-old cars at 60,000km remained stable in March. On average, models held 47.6% of their value in the month. HEVs led the market with a %RV of 49.4%. This was followed by petrol cars at 49.3%, diesel cars at 48.5%, and PHEVs at 43.6%. Once again, BEVs retained the lowest level of value at 37.6%, but on a slightly improving trend compared to the previous month.
‘Although RVs have stabilised recently, demand remains weak,’ Madas explained. ‘Therefore, values can be expected to come under more pressure. In 2025, %RVs are forecast to decrease, down 2.4% when compared with December 2024. Pressure will probably ease in 2025, and RVs will show a declining trend of 1.4%.’
Cloudy forecast for Italy
‘The sharp RV decline continued in Italy during March. %RVs fell to 48.8% from 49.6% in February and 53.6% in March 2024. As this decline shows no sign of slowing, the regional forecast for 2025 has been revised downwards,’ said Marco Pasquetti, Autovista Group’s head of valuations for Italy.
The year is now expected to end with a 6.4% year-on-year drop in values. The forecast for 2026 has also been revised slightly. However, these drops are expected to be comparatively smaller.
Unexpectedly, HEVs saw the greatest drop in %RVs compared to February, from 53.3% to 51.8%. However, this figure should be considered within the context of the market’s overall downward trend.
Interest in the powertrain remains high, as confirmed by the SVI, which grew by 19.5% compared to February. The average number of days needed to sell a HEV fell by 3.9 days, better than the market average. Overall, the SVI was still up in Italy month on month. However, levels were still down compared to March 2024.
‘The two fastest-selling used models in Italy last month were both from Dacia. The Dacia Sandero took an average of just 19.2 days to sell, while the Dacia Duster sold in 26.5 days. The liquid petroleum gas (LPG) versions of these models sold particularly quickly,’ highlighted Pasquetti.
‘Overall, this fuel type continues to see improved sales rates, with the SVI increasing 12.2% year on year. At 41.6 days, LPG models also sold far faster than the market average of 64.6 days,’ Pasquetti added.
Younger used-car supply in Spain
Spain saw new-car sales continue to grow in the first quarter of 2025, across all channels. Registrations increased by 11% year on year in February.
However, a large part of this growth resulted from the special Reinicia Auto+ plan. This helps people affected by the DANA floods, especially those in the east of the country. Removing these sales from the overall figures would lower the growth rate from 11% to 5.8%.
‘Alongside this new-car market boost, Spain has also seen an increasing number of electric vehicle (EV) sales. Combined BEV and PHEV registrations climbed by 39% year on year,’ commented Ana Azofra, Autovista Group’s head of valuations and insights, Spain.
This growth can be expected to level off in the coming months. This is because it was the result of brands and dealers making concerted efforts to sell these powertrains at the end of 2024.
Spain’s used-car market is also experiencing a period of growth. The SVI in the country increased by 6.1% month on month. Promisingly, the market is seeing an increasing supply of younger vehicles. This is primarily due to the entry of models from the rental sector.
In terms of used-car transaction prices, Spain continues to show great resilience. Values have been very stable, and all powertrains have seen stock days improve month on month. The DS7 Crossback, the Toyota CH-R and the Volkswagen Polo recorded the fastest turnover rates in March.
In March, the average value of a three-year-old car at 60,000 km was €19,864. This was 1.4% higher than in March 2024.
No supply let-up in Switzerland
Following a significant increase in February, the SVI decreased in Switzerland during March. The number of observed sales decreased by 3.2% compared to the previous month. Year-on-year, the SVI was almost stable, falling by only 0.1%.
Meanwhile, the AMVI of two-to-four-year-old passenger cars increased by 3% month on month. Despite this, the supply volume of passenger cars in this age bracket slumped by 7.4% compared to the previous year.
‘Influenced by constant supply, RVs of 36-month-old cars at 60,000km dropped in March,’ outlined Madas. ‘%RVs fell to 44.1% in March from 44.6% in February. Yet, the year-on-year drop was more severe, down 3.5pp from the values recorded 12 months ago.’
HEVs retained the most value in January by far at 49.8%. Then came petrol cars at 45.6%, diesel models at 42.6% and PHEVs at 41.5%. BEVs were once again the worst-performing powertrain, retaining only 38.7% of their original list price after three years and 60,000km.
March saw two-to-four-year-old passenger cars sell more quickly than in February. Used vehicles spent 77.3 days in stock on average.
Diesel cars sold fastest at 69.9 days, followed by HEVs at 71.9 and petrol models at 77.7 days. PHEVs took 81.3 days, showing a significant year-on-year decrease of 14 days. Meanwhile, BEVs needed the most time to sell at 84.9 days on average. However, reflected an improvement on the previous month when the time to sell was around 10 days longer.
‘A trend of relatively stable supply and low demand will continue as various uncertainties shroud 2025,’ Madas added. Therefore, %RVs are expected to decrease in the coming years, but at a slower pace. By the end of 2025, %RVs are expected to decrease by 3%. In 2026, a slight year-on-year drop of 1.5% is expected.’
Used-car supply slows in UK
On average, it took a UK dealer 5.6 fewer days to sell a used car in March than in February. According to March’s monthly dashboard, two-to-four-year-old cars sold in 40.7 days on average. This is a significant improvement from last month and aligns with last year’s performance.
BEVs remained the fastest-selling powertrain at just 35.8 days, a reduction of 2.4 days compared to last month. At 44.7 days, diesel models were the slowest to be retailed by dealers. This was despite their days-to-sell figure falling by 3.9 days month on month.
‘The AMVI revealed the volume of advertised models fell by 7.5% compared to February. This is likely a result of less used-car supply in the run-up to March’s plate change,’ commented Jayson Whittington, Autovista Group’s regional head of valuations, UK.
‘It appears less choice contributed to a fall in the rate of sales. The SVI showed a reduction of 3.1% compared with February. Compared to last year, the market generated 18.2% fewer used-car sales,’ he said.
BEVs continue to excel in the UK. The SVI increased by 18.1% for the powertrain compared to last month and 38.1% from last year. The AMVI shows a modest 4.6% growth in advertised BEVs. But compared to this time last year, there was an increase of 56.8%.
The average %RV of a BEV continues to trail the overall average of 51.3% significantly. The average BEV retained 39% at three years of age. However, when compared in absolute terms, there was only a monetary difference of £148 (€177).
