Usually, we inject a great deal of cash into purchasing, maintaining, taxing and insuring our vehicles in return for them transporting us from A to B – and that’s the pay off.
But the AA has identified seven popular used car which actually become more valuable with age – and they are not what you might expect.
The AA’s used care website, AA Cars, compared the average price of three and five-year-old models between June and August 2021 with the same period in 2023 and found that the cost of some vehicles has risen, despite the cars being two years older.
It found seven of the UK’s most popular cars have seen price appreciation over the past two years.
The Toyota Aygo saw the biggest price increase, with five-year-old vehicles worth 15.7% more than three-year-old versions were in 2021.
A three-year-old Aygo bought in Q3 2021 was worth £8,331 on average — but five-year-old versions of the same car cost £9,636 this year.
Also on the list is the Ford Fiesta, consistently the UK’s most popular car.
Mark Oakley, director of AA Cars, explained the reason why some of these mainstream models were rising in value.
“With the exception of some classic vehicles, we rarely see cars increase in value as they age,” he said.
“Yet persistent supply shortages mean some of the most in-demand models are still appreciating even as they sit on the driveway. This includes the Ford Fiesta, which consistently tops the list of the UK’s most popular cars, and the trendy city car the Fiat 500.
“Used cars less than three years old have often been bought on finance, and many have had just one owner — meaning they are often in good condition, and could be a great choice for drivers seeking value for money.”
“Price appreciation isn’t happening across the board, and great deals are available on a wide range of cars to suit all budgets.”
The cars rising in value despite being older (Source: AA Cars)
Rank | Model | Price of three-year-old car in Q3 2021 | Price of five-year-old car in Q3 2023 | Percentage increase |
1 | Toyota Aygo | £8,331 | £9,635 | 15.7% |
2 | Vauxhall Corsa | £8,754 | £9,791 | 11.9% |
3 | Volkswagen Polo | £12,579 | £13,592 | 8.1% |
4 | Fiat 500 | £8,972 | £9,626 | 7.3% |
5 | Toyota Yaris | £12,273 | £12,865 | 4.8% |
6 | Ford Fiesta | £11,455 | £11,910 | 4% |
7 | Ford Focus | £14,152 | £14,255 | 0.7% |
How to find the best value car
AA Cars advised anyone who is in the market for a used car to shop around and work out what price that model typically sells for at different mileages and ages.
“It is also worth booking an independent vehicle inspection before you buy,” said Oakley, “to make sure there is not a problem with the car that could cost you more money to repair.”
AA Cars’ analysis of the cost of the most searched-for cars on its site found prices remained 3.4% higher than last year. However, the average prices of the UK’s most popular used cars fell by 1.4% between the second quarter of the year and the third.