When asked about "Car ownership", 4 percent of UK respondents answer "Yes, a company car". This online survey was conducted in 2024, among 4,032 consumers. Looking to gain valuable insights about car owners across the globe? Check out our

In 2021, approximately 25.6 million people in Great Britain lived in a household that owned one car. In the same year, nearly nine million people lived in a household with two cars, an increase compared to the previous year. Ovez 17 million people lived in a household with no car at all.

British people aged 60 years and older were the age group with the highest share of car ownership, according to a 2017 Statista survey. The most likely to buy a car were 18-29 year-olds, with 22 percent of respondents reporting they did not own a car yet, but were planning on purchasing one. The survey was conducted as part of Statista’s Global Consumer Survey on consumption and media usage in 49 different countries.

Men more likely to be car owners

The survey also found that a larger share of men were motor vehicle owners compared to women. One fourth of female respondents stated that they did not have a car and were also not about to buy one. In contrast, 16 percent of men reported they did not own such a vehicle.

Ownership highest in Northern Ireland

Motor vehicle ownership was highest among residents of Northern Ireland, with eight out of ten people having a car and a further 12 percent interested in purchasing one. These findings were unsurprising given the discussion surrounding increased ticket prices for public transport in Northern Ireland.

There were around 33.2 million passenger cars in operation in the United Kingdom in 2022. UK roads have become busier since experiencing the most significant decline in the aftermath of the 2008-09 financial crisis. It remains to be seen whether the coronavirus crisis will cause a similar dent in the graph.

Car ownership per household

The majority of car owners in the UK have one car available to them. As of 2018, 53 percent of motorists had one vehicle in their household. Only one percent of respondents owned five cars or more.

Road safety The number of car drivers involved in reported road accidents in Great Britain fell to a record-low of just under 160,000 in 2019. The age group of under 16 year olds witnessed a sharp drop in the number of traffic-related fatalities in 2019. That said, all other age groups reported an increase in fatalities between 2018 and 2019.

We asked UK consumers about "Car ownership by make / brand" and found that "Ford" takes the top spot, while "Mazda" is at the other end of the ranking.These results are based on a representative online survey conducted in 2024 among 3,403 consumers in the UK. Looking to gain valuable insights about car owners across the globe? Check out our

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify households in England and Wales by tenure, by car or van availability, and by number of usual residents aged 17 or over in the household. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

There is evidence of people incorrectly identifying their type of landlord as ”Council or local authority” or “Housing association”. You should add these two categories together when analysing data that uses this variable. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Tenure of household

Whether a household owns or rents the accommodation that it occupies.

Owner-occupied accommodation can be:

• owned outright, which is where the household owns all of the accommodation
• with a mortgage or loan
• part-owned on a shared ownership scheme

Rented accommodation can be:

• private rented, for example, rented through a private landlord or letting agent
• social rented through a local council or housing association

This information is not available for household spaces with no usual residents.

Car or van availability

The number of cars or vans owned or available for use by household members.

Vehicles included:

• pick-ups, camper vans and motor homes
• vehicles that are temporarily not working
• vehicles that have failed their MOT
• vehicles owned or used by a lodger
• company cars or vans if they're available for private use

Vehicles not included:

• motorbikes, trikes, quad bikes or mobility scooters
• vehicles that have a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
• vehicles owned or used only by a visitor
• vehicles that are kept at another address or not easily accessed

The number of cars or vans in an area relates only to households. Cars or vans used by communal establishment residents are not counted.

Households with 10 to 20 cars or vans are counted as having only 10.

Households with more than 20 cars or vans were treated as invalid and a value imputed.

Number of people aged 17 years or over in household

The number of people in a household aged 17 years and over.

Dataset population: Households/Car or Vans

Car or van availability

The number of cars or vans that are owned, or available for use, by one or more members of a household. This includes company cars and vans that are available for private use. It does not include motorbikes or scooters, or any cars or vans belonging to visitors.

Households with 10 to 20 cars or vans were counted as having only 1. Responses indicating a number of cars or vans greater than 20 were treated as invalid and a value was imputed.

The count of cars or vans in an area relates only to households. Cars or vans used by residents of communal establishments were not counted.

This survey depicts the share of consumers who own a car or a motor vehicle in the United Kingdom in 2017, by gender. According to the survey, 76 percent of male and 69 percent of female respondents own a car or another motor vehicle.

This survey depicts the share of consumers who own a car or a motor vehicle in the United Kingdom in 2017, by region. According to the survey, 82 percent of respondents from Northern Ireland own a car or a motor vehicle.

Dataset population: Households

Accommodation type

The type of accommodation used or available for use by an individual household. Examples include the whole of a terraced house, or a flat in a purpose-built block of flats.

Car or van availability

The number of cars or vans that are owned, or available for use, by one or more members of a household. This includes company cars and vans that are available for private use. It does not include motorbikes or scooters, or any cars or vans belonging to visitors.

Households with 10 to 20 cars or vans were counted as having only 1. Responses indicating a number of cars or vans greater than 20 were treated as invalid and a value was imputed.

The count of cars or vans in an area relates only to households. Cars or vans used by residents of communal establishments were not counted.

Number of usual residents aged 17 or over

This derived variable provides a count of the number of people aged 17 or over in the household.

A household is defined as:

• One person living alone
• A group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address who share cooking facilities and share a living room, sitting room or dining area.

This includes:

• Sheltered accommodation units in an establishment where 50 per cent or more have their own kitchens (irrespective of whether there are other communal facilities)
• All people living in caravans on any type of site that is their usual residence (this will include anyone who has no other usual residence elsewhere in the UK)

A household must contain at least one person whose place of usual residence is at the address. A group of short-term residents living together is not classified as a household, and neither is a group of people at an address where only visitors are staying.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify Household Reference Persons in England and Wales by tenure by car or van availability, and by ethnic group. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

There is evidence of people incorrectly identifying their type of landlord as ”Council or local authority” or “Housing association”. You should add these two categories together when analysing data that uses this variable. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Lower tier local authorities

Lower tier local authorities provide a range of local services. There are 309 lower tier local authorities in England made up of 181 non-metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities, 36 metropolitan districts and 33 London boroughs (including City of London). In Wales there are 22 local authorities made up of 22 unitary authorities.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. However, you can choose to filter areas by:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Tenure of household

Whether a household owns or rents the accommodation that it occupies.

Owner-occupied accommodation can be:

• owned outright, which is where the household owns all of the accommodation
• with a mortgage or loan
• part-owned on a shared ownership scheme

Rented accommodation can be:

• private rented, for example, rented through a private landlord or letting agent
• social rented through a local council or housing association

This information is not available for household spaces with no usual residents.

Car or van availability

The number of cars or vans owned or available for use by household members.

Vehicles included:

• pick-ups, camper vans and motor homes
• vehicles that are temporarily not working
• vehicles that have failed their MOT
• vehicles owned or used by a lodger
• company cars or vans if they're available for private use

Vehicles not included:

• motorbikes, trikes, quad bikes or mobility scooters
• vehicles that have a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
• vehicles owned or used only by a visitor
• vehicles that are kept at another address or not easily accessed

The number of cars or vans in an area relates only to households. Cars or vans used by communal establishment residents are not counted.

Households with 10 to 20 cars or vans are counted as having only 10.

Households with more than 20 cars or vans were treated as invalid and a value imputed.

Ethnic group

The ethnic group that the person completing the census feels they belong to. This could be based on their culture, family background, identity or physical appearance.

Respondents could choose one out of 19 tick-box response categories, including write-in response options.

The United Kingdom had a motorization rate of 491 cars per 1,000 inhabitants in 2022. That year, there were more than 2.2 million motor vehicle sales in the United Kingdom.

The East of England was the English region with the highest average number of cars or vans owned per household. All regions recorded an ownership of at least one car, with London being the only exception where the average numbered 0.8 in 2017/18. According to a 2017 Statista survey, 68 percent of respondents from the East of England reported owning a car. This was surprisingly lower than other English regions. The East Midlands had seen the highest share of car owners at 81 percent, only outranked by Northern Ireland.

 East of England has most multiple car owners

The East of England also tied with the South East, South West, and East Midlands as having the highest percentage of households, owning more than one car. In 2017/18, it was estimated that 43 percent of residents from the East were multiple car owners. By comparison, 15 percent reported having no car or van within their household.

 87 percent of UK residents have car available  

A 2017 Statista survey found that roughly 87 percent of UK residents had a car permanently available to them in their household. Of these, 66 percent had their own car.

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UK Used Car Market Size 2025-2029

The uk used car market size is forecast to increase by USD 39.5 billion billion at a CAGR of 6.2% between 2024 and 2029.

The Used Car Market in the UK presents a significant value proposition for investors and businesses due to its size and growth dynamics. This market is driven by various factors, including the improving economic conditions, increasing consumer preference for cost-effective alternatives to new cars, and the rise of touchpoint management solutions that enhance the buying and selling experience. Furthermore, the emergence of car subscription services has added a new dimension to the market, offering flexibility and convenience to consumers. However, challenges such as increasing competition, regulatory changes, and the need for transparency and trust in the marketplace require strategic planning and innovation from market participants. Companies seeking to capitalize on these opportunities and navigate challenges effectively should focus on offering competitive pricing, exceptional customer service, and innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of consumers in the UK used car market.

What will be the size of the UK Used Car Market during the forecast period?

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The used car market in the UK is a significant sector of the European automobile industry, characterized by demand and dynamic trends. With a vast dealership network and increasing online sales, this market caters to various consumer preferences, including sports utility vehicles (SUVs), passenger cars, hatchbacks, sedans, hybrid vehicles, and electric cars. The market's size is substantial, with millions of used vehicles transacted annually. Key trends include the growing popularity of SUVs, digital sales, and car subscription services. Online marketplaces, such as auto marketplaces and telecom industry platforms, facilitate transactions, offering consumers access to extensive vehicle history records, financing options, and vehicle quality information. Used car management companies, leasing offices, and car dealers play crucial roles in the market, providing services like vehicle inspections, appraisals, and certification. The market's direction is influenced by factors like consumer confidence, residual values, and the shift towards petrol engines, diesel vehicles, and alternative fuel options like hybrid and electric vehicles. Quality finance charges, off-lease vehicles, and blockchain records are increasingly shaping the market landscape, ensuring transparency and trust in used car transactions. The average ownership duration is decreasing, with consumers seeking more flexible financing options and convenient digital retailing experiences. Overall, the used car market in the UK remains a vibrant and evolving sector, adapting to consumer needs and technological advancements.

How is this market segmented?

The market research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD billion' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments. ChannelOrganizedUnorganizedVehicle TypeCompact carSUVMid sizeTypePetrolDieselOthersGeographyUK

By Channel Insights

The organized segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

Used cars in the UK market are primarily sold through organized companies, which include dealership chains, online marketplaces, and original equipment manufacturers (OEM)-affiliated dealerships. These organizations ensure a smooth vehicle ownership transfer with local government collaborations and complete transparency regarding timelines and fees. They offer technical expertise and financial support to buyers, enabling a more convenient and trustworthy purchasing experience. The rise of online marketplaces, such as Motors.Co.Uk, with features like virtual showrooms and detailed vehicle histories, has significantly contributed to the growth of the used car sector. Organized companies' ability to digitalize and create a seamless interface is a key driver for sales during the forecast period.

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The Organized segment was valued at USD 78.40 billion in 2019 and showed a gradual increase during the forecast period.

Market Dynamics

Our researchers analyzed the data with 2024 as the base year, along with the key drivers, trends, and challenges. A holistic analysis of drivers will help companies refine their marketing strategies to gain a competitive advantage.

What are the key market drivers leading to the rise in adoption of UK Used Car Market?

Excellent value for money proposition of used cars is the key driver of the market. The used car market in the UK has witnessed significant growth due to the increasing number of automakers entering this sector and the

This statistic shows the distribution of regional car or van household ownership in England in 2017/18. London was the only region where households with two or more cars or vans made up the minority. The regions with the highest percentage of households owning two or more cars or vans were the East of England and the East Midlands, where 43 percent of households owned multiple cars respectively. 44 percent of households in the South West and Yorkshire and The Humber only owned one car which was the highest percentage for all regions.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner. Standard indexes of poverty and deprivation are rarely sensitive to how the causes and consequences of deprivation have different impacts depending upon where a person lives. More geographically minded approaches are alert to spatial variations but are also difficult to compute using desktop PCs. The aim of the ESRC sponsored project was to develop a method of spatial analysis known as ‘geographically weighted regression’ (GWR) to run in the high power computing environment offered by ‘Grid computation’ and e-social science. GWR, like many other methods of spatial analysis, is characterised by multiple repeat testing as the data are divided into geographical regions and also randomly redistributed many times to simulate the likelihood that the results obtained from the analysis are actually due to chance. Each of these tests requires computer time so, given a large dataset such as the UK Census statistics, running the analysis on a standard machine can take a long time! Fortunately, the computational grid is not standard but offers the possibility to speed up the process by running GWR’s sequences of calibration, analysis and non-parametric simulation in parallel. An output is a model of the geographically varying correlates of car non-ownership fitted for the 165,665 Census Output Areas in England. Specifically, a geographically weighted regression of the relationship between the proportion of households without a car (or van) in 2001 (the dependent variable), and the following predictor variables: proportion of persons of working age unemployed; proportion of households in public housing; proportion of households that are lone parent households; proportion of persons 16 or above that are single; and proportion of persons that are white British. Note - the file does not contain Census 2001 data, only National Grid references and regression coefficients. Further information is available from the Grid Enabled Spatial Regression Models (With Application to Deprivation Indices) web page.