Small cars have overtaken SUVs to become the fastest-selling used cars of 2022, new research shows.
Hatchbacks and city cars were the fastest-selling used cars of the year, according to the data by AA Cars, while the Ford Fiesta has retained its title of the most popular car overall for the eighth year in a row..
The trend for smaller vehicles in this year’s fastest selling list reverses 2021’s ranking, in which eight of the top 10 quickest selling models were SUVs.
Meanwhile, the BMW 116i, a family hatchback, was the fastest selling vehicle on the AA Cars site overall.
The Peugeot 108 was found to be the second quickest selling car, followed by Kia Ceed and Hyundai i20.
New entries into this year’s top 10 most popular used vehicles include the Vauxhall Corsa, Mercedes C Class and Toyota Yaris.
Meanwhile, vans declined in popularity in 2022, with the Ford Transit van and Volkswagen Transporter both dropping out of the top 10, along with the Audi A3.
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The surging popularity of smaller, lighter and more fuel-efficient cars comes after fuel prices rose sharply.
In the 12 months to the end of November, fuel prices rose by 17.2 per cent, according to the The Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Mark Oakley, Director of AA Cars, said: “The sharply rising cost of living and fuel is inevitably influencing people’s purchasing decisions.
“Hatchbacks and city cars tend to be cheaper to buy than SUVs, while their smaller size and lower weight mean they can also offer better fuel economy – which makes them particularly attractive in the current market.
“As a result, this year’s ranking of the top 10 fastest selling used cars is almost entirely dominated by smaller and more economical models, in stark contrast to 2021’s SUV-heavy list.”
