Used buyer demand for alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) is booming in January 2025, with the Toyota Prius hybrid being the standout model, Dealer Auction has reported.

The market’s appetite for AFVs continues to strengthen

Bids received on AFVs at the digital marketplace jumped 72.8% to 5,569 in January, compared with December 2024.

The increase occurred alongside a rise in the age and mileage of AFVs in January compared with December 2024. Average age went up from 3.1 to 4.3 years old, while the average mileage increased from around 34,000 to 36,129 miles.

And despite remaining a small percentage of the overall sales on the Dealer Auction platform (6.6% for hybrid and 1% for electric in January), AFVs continued to gain ground on the 2024 averages (4.7% and 0.88% respectively).

While a January jump was not unexpected following a traditionally quieter December for the industry, the new year lift in bids for AFVs surpassed those on ICE models (which increased by 65%).

What’s more, the number of bids in January surpasses the average month in 2024 (4,271).

When adding the rise in average sold price (to £16,781) and average retail margin (£3,052), plus the jump in ad views from 13,182 to 21,500, it clearly signals a strong start to the year for electric and hybrid models.

Kieran TeeBoon, Dealer Auction’s marketplace director, commented: “2025 is certainly upping the game, with higher sold prices, higher margin, bids and engagement metrics compared with the averages for 2024. This underscores the growing confidence in alternatively fuelled vehicles among customers and traders – and we hope this interest is sustained through the year. The key will be seeing younger and lower-mileage vehicles coming through.”

Looking at the top-performing trade-to-trade models in January 2025, the hybrid Toyota Prius was the star of the show. It topped the chart for average retail margin (£3,555) and CAP performance (115.7%) and was also the fifth biggest seller. It moved quickly, too – selling in 25 days on average.

The best-selling used AFV of 2024 – the Hyundai Tucson – proved its popularity once more in January. It was followed by the Nissan Qashqai and Toyota Yaris.

2024’s top performer for average gross margin, the hybrid Lexus RX, remained popular at the start of the new year. It secured fourth place with an average margin of £3,426. Lexus models performed well overall, taking three spots for CAP performance and two for average margin.

The premium-mainstream model splits were 10:90 for sold volume, 40:60 for CAP performance and 40:60 for average margin. The margin stat stands out as we see strong performances from premium models – in 2024, mainstream brands made up 90% of the top 10.

Hybrids continued to dominate the AFV market, occupying all the spots in the top 10 by volume sold and top 10 by average gross margin, and 80% of the CAP performance chart.

The Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf were the standout electric models – the former notably coming second in the CAP Performance rankings with 107%.

TeeBoon concluded: “The performance of hybrids will be no shock to followers of the EVPR, but the market’s appetite for AFVs continues to strengthen, so it’s important to keep a close eye on the key metrics as we move into 2025. I always point to November 2024, where we saw a big shake-up – with EVs accounting for seven of the top 10 by average gross margin and six of the top 10 by volume sold. Keeping a varied forecourt tells customers you’re serious about the future of motoring and providing a service that suits all lifestyles and preferences.”