Pre-owned electric and hybrid car sales were up by 17 per cent compared to last year, as more come onto the second-hand market.
Used sales of pure electric models on their own were up by 66.4 per cent – showing that people are waking up the electric revolution and choosing to buy more sustainable vehicles.
Diesel used cars also proved to be popular between July and September, with sales up by 4.2 per cent compared to last year.
A total of 2,102,078 used cars were sold in last quarter, which is down by just under 46,000 compared to the same period last year, but overall used car sales in the year to the end of September is up. There is a 0.1 per cent increase in total sales so far in 2017 compared to 2016 at 6,338,188.
But there wasn’t all good news, as only SUV and supermini sectors grew in the third quarter – up by 11.2 per cent and 1.3 per cent respectively.
Silver also continued to be the top colour of choice on the used market, with black, blue, grey and white making up the rest of the top five.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, said: “The used car sector remains in good health as motorists take advantage of some great deals on cars – including some of the latest low emission diesel and alternatively fuelled vehicles.
“However, as demand in the new car market cools, used car sales normally follow suit unless there are significant tax changes affecting the new car market. Fleet renewal is the fastest way to improve air quality, however, so we need economic and political certainty to boost buyer confidence and keep both markets moving.”
