The Volkswagen Golf has been named the UK’s favourite used car of the past decade in a survey of 1,000 drivers by CarGurus.
The family hatchback finished ahead of the BMW X3 and Audi Q3 in research commissioned to mark the automotive marketplace’s 10th anniversary in the UK.
The Audi A3 and Vauxhall Astra completed the top five, while Audi was the only manufacturer to place three models in the top 10.
Hatchbacks were selected as the preferred body style by 28% of respondents.
Medium SUVs received 21% of the vote and small SUVs accounted for 15%, reflecting the growth of the sport utility segment during the past decade.
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UK’s favourite used cars of the past decade
| Rank | Make | Model | Body style |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | Golf | Hatchback |
| 2 | BMW | X3 | Medium SUV |
| 3 | Audi | Q3 | Small SUV |
| 4 | Audi | A3 | Hatchback |
| 5 | Vauxhall | Astra | Hatchback |
| 6 | Kia | Sportage | Medium SUV |
| 7 | Nissan | Qashqai | Medium SUV |
| 8 | Toyota | C-HR | Small SUV |
| 9 | Audi | Q5 | Medium SUV |
| 10 | Honda | Civic | Hatchback |
Reliability was the main reason respondents gave for naming a vehicle as a favourite, selected by 62%. Design and style followed at 55%, with value for money cited by 52%.
Chris Knapman, CarGurus UK editorial director, said: “Over the past decade, the Volkswagen Golf has consistently proven itself to be one of the nation’s favourites.
“It represents the perfect mix of reliability, practicality, design and affordability, and shows that the long-standing popular models continue to be exactly that.
“Our findings also reflect shifts in used-car buyers’ main priorities as car features evolve.
“Reliability and running costs are key, but drivers now also look for the added reassurance of advanced safety features and good technology.”
Safety and technology gain importance
When respondents were asked about their used car buying priorities over the past decade, 60% identified reliability and 54% selected running costs.
Comfort on long journeys and preferred body style were each cited by 40%.
Although 83% said they continue to look for the same core attributes they valued in 2016, the research identified a growing focus on safety, technology and environmental impact.
Seven in 10 drivers now place more importance on safety features, while 66% attach greater importance to up-to-date in-car technology. Some 61% are more conscious of cleaner engines and environmental impact.
Among individual technologies, 360-degree cameras were favoured by 30% of drivers, followed by parking assistance systems at 28% and keyless entry and push-button start at 25%.
Gesture control was selected by just 7%, while over-the-air updates attracted 8%.
Button-free dashboards, cooling seats and head-up displays were each chosen by 9%.
CarGurus released the findings alongside the launch of Discover, a conversational artificial intelligence tool that allows buyers to describe the vehicle they need.
The system returns local stock listings with live pricing, deal ratings and CarGurus’ Instant Market Value data, before directing customers towards a car dealer.