Used-car dealerships have expressed concerns about stock availability heading into 2026.
According to new research from Motorway, the majority (78%) of used-car dealerships in the UK are more worried about stock availability heading into 2026 than they were this year, as the UK car parc shifts toward older and more electric vehicles – a trend that risks misalignment with consumer demand.
The survey of 500 UK used-car dealerships found 36% saying that the affordability of stock is a top concern for the year ahead.
The majority, 74%, think that they’ve already lost some sales due to stock scarcity, and 73% think this could significantly impact profitability next year.
When asked which cars were hardest to source and most in demand, dealers cited hybrid vehicles (48%).
Other types of vehicles that were listed as harder to source included 3-5 year old petrol cars (40%), 3-5 year old diesel cars (39%) and EVs (36%).
Dealers attribute increased challenges in sourcing stock to greater competition from larger dealers (45%), challenges in finding the right stock at an affordable price (47%) and limited access to private seller stock (33%).
Tom Leathes, CEO and co-founder at Motorway, said: “The UK used-car market is worth £100 billion and continues to show strong consumer demand.
“But the headline growth doesn’t reflect the reality that many dealers are facing. Increased consumer demand simply signals that the most-in demand stock is moving faster.”