Around 290,000 used Fiestas were sold over the year. Here is how the top 10 measure up:

In total, a little under 1.7 million used cars were sold in the last quarter of 2020, which is down by 6.2% on the same period of 2019. Taking the year as a whole, sales were down by 14.9% on 2019, demonstrating what a tough toll the pandemic has had on the car sales industry.

However, alternatively-fuelled vehicles had a much more positive year, with a total of 144,225 models sold over the year. That’s up by 5.2% on the year before, though the market share enjoyed by electric and hybrid vehicles remains small. In terms of market share of sales, last year these models accounted for just 2.1%.

Looking at the types of used car bought over the year, superminis were the most popular choice with 2.2 million units purchased. That accounts for around one in three of all sales. 

Meanwhile black was the most popular colour for used motors, with more than 1.4 million models being sold over the year, followed by silver and blue.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, said that it must now be a priority to reopen car showrooms as soon as restrictions are eased.

He continued: “This will not only help the used market recover, supporting jobs and livelihoods and providing individuals with the personal mobility they need at a time when guidance is against using public or shared transport, but it will also enable the latest and cleanest vehicles to filter through to second owners and keep society moving.”

Click and collect

James Fairclough, CEO of used car website AA Cars, noted that demand remains strong for used cars, with searches on the site in January up by nearly 20% on the same period in 2020.

He noted that there has been a steady shift in buying behaviour from drivers, with many preferring a used car as they hold their value better, but also because the second-hand market provides more affordable options for motorists, “many of whom are more cautious about their finances in the current economic climate.”

“Dealers also adapted quickly to last year’s challenges by offering click and collect and home delivery options, services we expect to see continue into the future,” he continued. 

“It will be interesting to see whether habits formed during the pandemic, such as people opting to use a car to commute rather than public transport, will continue as society starts to unlock in 2021.”