2025 was the kind of year that kept you paying attention. One minute scientists were tracing dinosaur footprints across an Oxfordshire quarry floor, the next we saw pop star Katy Perry jetting off into space (although, we hear “Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday…”!). Add to that a summer heatwave that set the backdrop for everything from a viral ‘kiss cam’ moment to the long-awaited Oasis reunion, and it was a year that thrived on the unexpected.
The automotive world followed suit. Regulation, emissions and tax changes kept everyone on their toes, but the market stayed sharp. In that environment, opportunity favoured those ready to act. Which is exactly what happened on our platform! 2025 became a standout year for us. Our marketplace saw stronger engagement, new partners joining the fold and activity levels that comfortably outpaced the year before – including a 20% increase in trade profit generated for our sellers.
It’s time to open the books and take a closer look at what really drove Dealer Auction over the last 12 months.
Matching intent with opportunity
We sent out 35.7 million alerts in 2025 – more than treble the 2024 number – helping match buyers with the vehicles they needed. Bidding activity climbed to nearly one million bids as dealers became more decisive about the stock they wanted and when they wanted it.
That sharper intent shows up in the results. Our dashboard flashed green as vehicles changed hands at a noticeably faster pace – selling nearly a third faster than 2024, with average days to sell dropping from just over 4 days to 2.8 days. CAP Clean performance edged up too, to 103.1%, underlining the fact that the right cars are still commanding a premium when supply meets demand.
Average sold price moved up to £6,923, reflecting the new retail ready stock we introduced in July, adding over 8,800 fresh vehicles that are much younger and at higher price points.
Profit, profit, profit!
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from 2025 was the potential profit generated for sellers. The swift pace of sale on the platform translated to an estimated trade profit of £15.6 million generated across the year, that’s a 20% rise on £13 million in 2024.
In terms of sheer volume, we saw a 14% increase in total retail value cross the platform, totalling a monumental £570 million. In today’s tighter market, it’s a reassuring sight.
Younger stock, lower miles
Stock profile shifted in a meaningful way, influenced by the new retail-ready stock. The average vehicle age dropped from 8.9 years to 7.2 years, while average mileage fell from 72,598 to 59,798 miles. For buyers, that opens up more choice for forecourt appeal and faster retail turn.
When it came to fuel-type breakdown, although AFVs (alternative fuel vehicles) continued to claim a small percentage, their proportion has more than doubled in the past two years. It rose from 3.44% in 2023 to 5.6% in 2024 and 7.23% in 2025.
Peugeot pride
The top model chart for CAP Clean performance was good news for trade sellers of the Peugeot 207, Jaguar XF and Peugeot 107, which achieved average CAP performances of 118.7%, 109.8% and 109.8% respectively. This competitive pricing will be due to high demand.
For buyers, keen followers of the Retail Margin Monitor won’t be surprised to see Land Rover topping the make and model profit charts for 2025 for a second year running, with the Range Rover Sport achieving an average margin of £4,350.
We’ve also added a new metric! ‘Best Buy’ uses a unique formula, balancing trade price, margin and speed to sell to identify the top performers across the board.1 2025’s hidden gems included everything from SUVs to saloons, and petrols to EVs. Check out our latest Retail Margin Monitor to see which models are ones to watch!
New year, new stock strategy?
Compared with 2024, 2025 tells a clear story. Stock is moving faster, selling for more and generating stronger returns. The common thread is speed and data-led decision making.
Dealers who lean into real-time alerts, live pricing signals and rapid buying options are the ones best placed to capture margin before the market moves again. With round-the-clock access to timed auctions and buy-it-now stock, Dealer Auction remains set up for those who want to act quickly and keep their forecourts one step ahead.
As we move into 2026, could you be missing out on a slice of that £15.6 million trade profit? Or, as a buyer, are you missing out on thousands of quality vehicles? Let’s turn those numbers into opportunity!
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