At a glance:
- Tesla Model Y is the first-ever EV to enter margin charts, as Iran conflict boosts interest in alternative fuels.
- Diesel Mazda CX-5 clocks record-breaking month in sub-£10,000 retail top 10 with highest-recorded margin and fastest speed-to-sell.
- Volkswagen Passat was a fresh entry, with Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Ford EcoSport rejoining for the first time since 2024.
- Total retail value of vehicles sold on Dealer Auction rose to new highs of £53.6 million.
- Land Rover achieved record profit highs across both retail bands for makes.
May 2026 – Dealer Auction’s Retail Margin Monitor for April has revealed the first-ever entry for a fully electric model. The Tesla Model Y entered the chart for models retailing over £10,000, achieving an average profit margin of £4,400 – signalling a big step in the UK’s shift towards electrified powertrains.
Dealer Auction have been seeing more hybrids filter into their top profit charts for trade stock in recent months – including the Toyota C-HR hybrid this month. Tesla’s performance therefore indicates that fully electric vehicles are starting to find their profit footing in a meaningful way.
Dealer Auction’s Marketplace Director, Kieran TeeBoon, commented: “What once felt like future targets are now showing up in real returns. Electrified models are beginning to prove their commercial weight – no doubt boosted by demand caused by Iran conflict and the resulting fuel rises.
“Tesla has always been a strong performer in our alternative-fuel-focused publication, the EV Performance Report (EVPR), but the Model Y’s performance amongst all fuel types suggests the EV conversation is changing: from ‘when?’ to ‘how high?’. Of course, the over-£10,000 top 10 is more premium-focused, but I think we’ll see EVs crack the sub-£10,000 chart in the not-too-distant future.”
Moving onto April’s sub-£10,000 chart, and it was a record-breaking month for the Mazda CX-5. Appearing for the first time since August 2025, it went straight to the top with one of the top monthly retail margins recorded. It also had the fastest average days to sell in the chart on record, with just 23 days. Add to that the impressive Average Autotrader Retail Rating and a competitive price (with a CAP Clean performance of 108%), and it made an impact across the board.1
Overall, there was a mix of consistent performers and surprise entries in the top 10. The Ford Kuga, Nissan Qashqai and MINI Hatch continued to perform well, while the BMW 3 Series returned after a couple of months outside the top 10. The Honda CR-V appeared for the first time since August 2025, while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Ford EcoSport rejoined for the first time since 2024. The Volkswagen Passat marked a fresh entry in 10th place.
At brand level, Land Rover once again took the crown in the top 10 makes for models with a sub-£10,000 retail value (£3,525), followed by Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Land Rover was also the king of the over-£10,000 chart (£6,150). Notably, the brand’s margins reached record highs in both charts.
Last month, Dealer Auction reported a record retail value of vehicles sold (£52.6 million); in April, it moved even higher, reaching £53.6 million. The number of fresh vehicles being added to the platform also jumped by 40% – showing how the platform is meeting dealer demand.
TeeBoon concluded: “What stands out isn’t just the new high-water mark for retail value, but the momentum behind it. The uplift in fresh stock shows that the appetite to move more vehicles through smarter channels is clearly there. Growth at this level, sustained month-on-month across a mix of powertrains and retail values, points to a platform that’s becoming increasingly central to how dealers operate.”
ENDS
Take us for a test drive.
Curious about what you see? Then why not try Dealer Auction for free for 30 days?
Source:
1The ‘Average Autotrader Retail Rating’ uses three key metrics to determine the consumer demand for the vehicle:
- Average days to sell – calculated for the whole of the UK and then adjusted for the variations Autotrader have observed locally in your area.
- Live market supply – comparing the national supply level for the vehicle over the last seven days with the usual level of supply Autotrader have seen in the market over the last six months.
- Live buyer demand – analysing how many people are currently searching for the vehicle on Autotrader, comparing consumer search behaviour over the last seven days against the level of interest over the last six months.
About Dealer Auction
Dealer Auction is the UK’s leading digital remarketing platform. We give buyers and sellers more choice, better insight and greater margins. Dealer Auction is an independent company, created through a joint venture between Cox Automotive and Autotrader. For more information, visit www.dealerauction.co.uk.
Launched in January 2022, Dealer Auction’s Retail Margin Monitor tracks the potential retail margin that can be achieved on vehicles bought via Dealer Auction’s open network. We track models meeting two key criteria: more than 20 units sold with a retail price of less than £10,000 (we also track any standout models that retail at more than £10,000). We then compare the sold price for each model with the Autotrader market average to reveal the potential margin. For the brand table, we compare models with more than 50 units sold of models retailing at less than £10,000. We crunch the numbers at the start of every new month.
This edition analyses data from 1 to 30 April 2026.
