Used Car Sales Rebound in May as Consumer Demand Lifts

MEDIA RELEASE
16 June 2025

Used Car Sales Rebound in May as Consumer Demand Lifts

The May 2025 Automotive Insights Report (AIR), powered by Australia’s leading automotive platform AutoGrab highlights Australia’s used car market bounced back in May 2025, with sales rising 5.4% to 192,692 vehicles.

The uptick in used vehicle sales was matched by a 5.2% increase in listings, pointing to a healthy balance between supply and demand.

All states recorded a rise in used car sales, with the Northern Territory the only exception.

SUVs remain the dominant choice for buyers, with sales in this segment up 7.9% month-on-month to 83,442 vehicles

Electric vehicles saw particularly strong momentum in May. Sales surged by 37.5% to 3,552 units, well above the 8.4% rise recorded in April, signalling increasing consumer interest in electric vehicle options.

In the value retention stakes, small passenger cars continued to perform strongly. The Audi RS3 took the top spot in the 2–4-year-old category with 105.8% retained value, overtaking the Ford Mustang. In the 5–7-year-old range, Toyota led with its Vitz model holding 100.3% value. Among SUVs, the Suzuki Jimny maintained its market-leading position with an impressive 111.8% value retention.

Key Highlights – AIR May 2025 Edition:

• 192,692 used vehicles sold nationally – up 5.4% from April
• Listings rose 5.2%, with the NT the only state to record a decline
• EV sales jumped 37.5% to 3,552 units
• Average days to sell dropped to 47.6, the lowest for 2025
• Suzuki Jimny topped value retention in 2–4-year-old SUVs at 111.8%
• Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux led dealer sales
• Tesla Model 3 and Model Y were the most sold used EVs

Quotes attributable to Saxon Odgers, Chief Commercial Officer AutoGrab

The market saw improved turnover, with average days to sell falling to 47.6 – the lowest figure recorded this year.

End-of-financial-year discounts in the new car market, has prompted many owners to upgrade their vehicles and release more used cars into the market.

The full report published in conjunction with the Australian Automotive Dealers Association is available below.

media@autograb.com.au

Contact: Paul Price 0400 507 023