Dealer Auction increased the volume of stock available through its marketplace by 55% year on year during the second quarter, helping dealers secure and sell vehicles more quickly.
The online auction platform said lower buyer fees, faster sales and stronger reserve-price performance combined to produce improved returns for buyers and sellers during Q2 2026.
Vehicles sold through natural auction took an average of just 2.85 days to sell, while the average sold price remained firm at £6,851.
Dealer Auction also recorded average performance of 99% of CAP Clean, indicating that buyers continued to bid confidently for available stock.
Stock volumes climb 55%
Buyer engagement remained high throughout the quarter, with the platform sending more than 15.2 million intelligent stock alerts designed to connect dealers with suitable vehicles.
Competition for desirable used cars remained consistent, with the Jaguar F-Pace retaining first place in Dealer Auction’s Best Buy chart for a second consecutive quarter.
The ranking compares trade price, estimated retail margin and speed to sale to identify vehicles offering dealers the strongest combination of demand and potential profitability.
The F-Pace also led the chart in Q1, suggesting that dealer demand for the premium SUV remained stable during the first half of the year.
Kieran TeeBoon, marketplace director at Dealer Auction, said: “Q2 follows a record-breaking Q1 and has delivered another quarter of consistent and encouraging results. The used car market outperformed seasonal expectations. This builds confidence in a market that’s showing signs of stability after years of volatility.
“Dealers are continuing to act decisively, and it’s particularly positive to see greater diversity in fuel types across sales as buyer demand continues to evolve.”
Dealers buy older stock
Older vehicles continued to account for a substantial proportion of dealer purchasing, with the average age of stock remaining at 7.7 years.
Average mileage rose sharply from 54,595 miles in Q1 to 66,098 miles in Q2, which Dealer Auction said demonstrated continued confidence in reliable, retail-ready older vehicles.
Alternative fuel vehicles also increased their share of activity, accounting for almost 11% of fuel-type sales during the quarter.
The Nissan Qashqai Hybrid placed fourth in the platform’s CAP Clean ranking and was the only alternative fuel vehicle to appear in the top five.
Dealer Auction said the result pointed to strengthening dealer confidence in hybrid and other alternative fuel stock as the used car market becomes more diverse.
TeeBoon added: “The market continues to show strong momentum as we move into the second half of the year, with competition for quality stock remaining high. It’ll be interesting to see how these trends develop over the coming months as dealers adapt to changing market conditions.”
The company said it expects dealer priorities in Q3 to remain focused on identifying profitable stock and securing vehicles quickly as supply patterns continue to change.
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