Younger buyers eager to CHANGECARS are setting their sights on Crossover/SUVs with these reclaiming top spot from the Hatch after being pushed into second spot in 2022.
“Together,” saiys Andrew Hibbert Auto Data Analyst & Team Lead for Lightstone,” they made up more than 80% of purchases by buyers under 35. “Double Cab Pick-ups have dropped off in popularity over the last couple of years, while the MPV/Estate has moved up to fourth place in the ranking.”
The Hatch, however, remains comfortably the top seller with around 45% of sales in the used car market, although demand has cooled during 2023 and into 2024.
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The Crossover/SUV was a distant second, but was gaining popularity, mirroring the growth in the new market. Sedans held onto third place amongst the body shapes preferred by under 35s, but with a shrinking share of market.
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Hibbert said the top five positions had remained unchanged over the past two years, with Volkswagen the leader, followed by Toyota, Ford, Suzuki and Nissan.
“The top 5 made up around 65% of all sales (new and used) to under 35s,”
Notably, Chery, from China, entered the top 10 in 2023 and moved to 9th in early 2024.
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The graph above clearly shows 80% of under 35s like the Volkswagen Hatch space, while the Crossover/SUV is next with just under 10% of sales. Hunger for the Sedan appeared to be waning.
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Hibbert said Toyota buyers (graph above) were more evenly spread across body shapes, with the Hatch and Crossover/SUV dominant, followed by the Double Cab Pickup and then the Sedan which, as with other brands, continued to lose popularity.
The Double Cab Pick-up was the most popular body shape amongst Ford buyers in 2023 and into 2024, overtaking the Hatch, which was the leading choice of Ford buyers in 2022. The Crossover/SUV was in third spot.
Colin Windell
Proudly CHANGECARS
