Auto Insights Newsletter | February 2022

Used vehicles increasingly valuable

4-year-old vehicles cost more in 2022 than 2021

Used vehicles retained more value in 2022 than 2021 as demand pushed prices up while new vehicle sales slowed because New Vehicle Price Infl ation was high in the fi rst half of 2021 and the semiconductor shortage hampered production in the second half of the year.

Used vehicle retention of a 4-year-old vehicle in February 2021 vs February 2022

(Passenger and Light Commercial Vehicle Markets)

Four-year-old vehicles represented the largest share of fi nance transactions by vehicle age, and the graph above shows the leap in value retention (retained % of a vehicle’s New List Price recorded by Signio when sold as a used vehicle) as LCVs leapt 7.84% from 72.70% in February 2021 to 78.40% a year later. PAS used vehicle retention jumped 6.53% from 72.34% to 77.06%.

Brands such as Ford, Honda, Nissan, Isuzu, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Toyota and Volkswagen recorded signifi cant positive Used Vehicle Retention gains in 2022, reversing a trend where they had been retaining less value year-on-year. Of the 15 brands listed in the graph below, only Jaguar’s Used Vehicle Retention fell in 2022 from 2021.

Change in Used Vehicle Retention of 4-year-old vehicles in February 2021 vs February 2022
for 15 prominent brands

The plot chart below shows the change in Used Vehicle Retention of four-year-old vehicles in February 2021 against the change in overall vehicle sales in 2020. We can see most brands experienced year-on-year sales declines and consequent low Used Vehicle Retention in February 2021 – other than Jaguar which recorded a high Used Vehicle Retention.

Change in Used Vehicle Retention of 4-year-old vehicles in February 2021
against the change in overall new vehicle sales in 2020

The plot chart below shows the change in Used Vehicle Retention of four-year-old vehicles in February 2021 against the change in overall vehicle sales in 2020. We can see most brands experienced year-on-year sales declines and consequent low Used Vehicle Retention in February 2021 – other than Jaguar which recorded a high Used Vehicle Retention.

The second plot chart (below) shows the change in Used Vehicle Retention of four-year-old vehicles in February 2022 against the change in overall new vehicle sales in 2021. Most brands increased vehicle sales in 2021 compared to 2020, and we also notice higher Used Vehicle Retention. Brands such as Honda, Mazda, Ford and Audi which recorded declining new vehicle sales experienced higher Used Vehicle Retention in February 2022.

Change in Used Vehicle Retention of 4-year-old vehicles in February 2022
against the change in overall new vehicle sales in 2021