10 Million Deals And Counting: Why 2025 Is Becoming The Busiest Year For UK Car Sales Since 2019

If you run a dealership, there are two numbers you must pay attention to this year: 10 million and 2019. We’re on course to match, and possibly beat, the last pre-pandemic high-water mark for car transactions. It’s not a hype headline; there’s real volume flowing through the market, across both used and new.

Below is the story behind the numbers, who is winning, and how finance can help you take advantage while the momentum is still with us.

The Surge In Deals Isn’t A Fluke

Auto Trader analysis shows a market that has refused to slow down. Transaction volumes across 2025 are tracking close to 10 million, which would make this the strongest year since 2019, when the market last operated without major economic shocks. That’s being driven by three forces:

• Used stock returning in scale, thanks to maturing lease and finance cycles.
• Retail prices stabilising, which puts confidence back into part-ex and showroom conversations.
• Buyers who still refuse to give up mobility, even with higher running costs.

Trade press reporting aligns with what many dealers are feeling: full pipelines, strong enquiry volume, and shorter stock days. One AM Online feature described this as a “return to normal”, but anyone looking at margins knows the picture is more nuanced—volume is up, but costs are rising, and buyers are price-sensitive.

Used Cars Continue To Do The Heavy Lifting

The backbone of the market is still used.

• Over the last 12 months, used transactions have been consistently ahead of forecast, with many dealer groups reporting sub-30 day stock turn on core models.
• Auto Trader’s Retail Price Index shows a market that is no longer sliding… average prices are flat-to-slightly-up on a like-for-like basis, which is a big psychological win.
• Vehicles aged 3–5 years have been standout performers, balancing price, reliability, and perceived value. They’re not the cheapest, but they feel safe and familiar to buyers.

When a consumer believes the car’s value will hold, they buy faster. That’s a trend we’ve seen across 2025: people want predictability, and used cars are delivering it.

New Car Registrations Are Pulling Their Weight Again

Not every part of the market is booming, but enough is ticking along to matter.

• SMMT data puts new car registrations up 9–11% YoY for several consecutive months.
• Fleet and company car channels have recovered sharply, helped by energy around low-company-tax vehicles, PHEVs, and contract renewal cycles that have finally unlocked.
• Retail private buyers are selective, but the discounting culture that spread through late 2024 has made new cars more tempting than they’ve been in years.

Most dealers you speak to will say the same thing: nobody is throwing money around, but when the right product hits the right monthly payment, people commit.

Why The Psychology Hasn’t Changed

A car in the UK is not just a statement purchase… it’s how people work, socialise, and care for family. Price pain and higher insurance haven’t dented mobility priorities as much as many predicted.

Even when household budgets are tight, people often view a car the way they view their home broadband or heating: “I need this.”

That mindset has two effects:

1. They’ll shop longer, not abandon the idea.
2. They’ll change the product or the payment, not the plan to own a car.

That’s why demand sticks, even if the £25k SUV becomes a £19k hatchback, or the diesel becomes a petrol hybrid with lower running costs.

What This Means For Dealers (If You Want More Than Volume)

1) Anchor your conversations around monthly affordability

Customers who feel safe about the monthly number stop shopping elsewhere.

• Make your payment visible in every listing (above the fold, not buried).
• Offer a real representative example with APR and total payable, not “£X from”.

2) Treat your website like a digital forecourt

If 2025 buyers are browsing at night and on mobile, which they are, the site needs to answer three questions fast:

• Is this car good value?
• What will it cost me each month?
• Can I apply now without hurting my credit?

If those answers are hidden, you lose them to the next dealer tab.

3) Stop gambling on a single age band

Because used volumes are broad, you don’t need to pick a “winner”.

• Have nearly-new for the payment-led buyer.
• Have 5–8 year stock for those avoiding depreciation.
• And use finance to position each correctly.

Finance Is Holding The Market Up, Use It Properly

This market isn’t succeeding because consumers have become richer. It’s succeeding because finance has become the bridge between desire and practicality.

Here’s how strong partners can help you beat 2025 averages:

• Soft credit searches that let customers see eligibility without a footprint (drop-off falls dramatically).
• Fast HP & PCP decisions, which keep hot leads alive when they’re ready to act.
• Near-prime lending, where many customers live today due to bounced payments, higher bills, or thin files.
• Clear disclosures that protect customers and build trust under Consumer Duty.

Dealers who tell the financial truth early win more business than those who hide numbers and hope the customer asks.

Why The Busiest Year Since 2019 Matters

More transactions mean more chances to build lifelong customers.
But it also means more noise in the market, and noisier competitors.

The dealers winning right now aren’t just “busy”. They are:

• Fast on leads,
• transparent on finance,
• and disciplined on stock.

They don’t wait six weeks to adjust price or three days to respond to a web form. They move fast and speak human.

Where Marsh Finance Fits In

We don’t sell cars. We help people buy them.
That means lifting friction from your sales process:

• Soft-search journeys customers trust
• Quick, flexible lending decisions that keep deals alive
• HP and PCP structures that suit working people
• Near-prime coverage, so your approvals don’t collapse over one late phone bill

Ready to turn 2025’s record-breaking momentum into real revenue?

Partner with Marsh Finance and unlock faster approvals, near-prime coverage, and finance journeys that convert browsers into buyers.

We’re the lender built for busy dealerships, flexible HP and PCP structures, soft-search eligibility, and decisions that don’t let hot leads go cold.

Partner with us today!