Autotrader Data Shows Used Car Prices Rising in June as Second-Hand EVs Recover

What Autotrader's June pricing data showed

Autotrader publishes regular data on the UK's used car market drawn from the listings on its own marketplace, and its latest figures point to average used car prices rising through June. The more notable detail is that second-hand electric vehicles, which have spent a long stretch losing value faster than petrol and diesel equivalents as new EV prices fell and supply built up, are starting to see their prices firm up too.

A turn in used EV pricing matters because it has been one of the more persistent soft spots in the second-hand market. Depreciation that steep discourages both private buyers and dealers from stocking used electric cars, so any sign of stabilising or rising values is a meaningful shift in sentiment around the used EV segment specifically.

Why it matters for Autotrader as a marketplace

Autotrader does not buy or sell cars itself. It earns money mainly from dealers who pay to list vehicles and from advertising and data products built around the marketplace. Because of that, Autotrader's business is more sensitive to the health and activity of the used car trade than to price levels on their own. Still, a market where prices are stabilising or rising, rather than falling sharply, tends to be a healthier one for dealers, since steep depreciation, especially in the used EV segment, squeezes dealer margins and can dampen the volume of stock dealers are willing to list.

A recovering used EV segment also expands the pool of vehicles dealers are confident listing at reasonable margins, which is a modest positive for the volume and value of activity flowing through Autotrader's platform.

Which stocks, and why

Autotrader is the only listed company with a direct stake here, since the data comes from its own marketplace and describes trends in the market it operates in. The effect on Autotrader's own results is indirect from pricing itself, since its revenue is driven by dealer subscriptions and advertising rather than transaction values, but a steadier, more confident used car market, including the previously weak used EV segment, is a supportive backdrop for dealer activity on the platform.

What to watch

Worth watching is whether the improvement in used EV pricing continues into the second half of the year, since one month of data is not yet a trend. Also watch Autotrader's own trading updates for any commentary linking market conditions like these to dealer numbers, average revenue per retailer, or advertising volumes, which would show more directly whether a firmer pricing environment is translating into stronger business for the company itself.