At a glance:
- Percentage of hybrid vehicles rise 100.8% month-on-month.
- Average age of trade alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) rises to 4, indicating sweet spot between age, mileage, price and future-proofed travel.
- Three EVs secure top 10 places for profit, led by the Renault Scenic E-Tech.
- Dealer appetite continues to strengthen, with 50% rise in bids across AFVs.
The latest data from Dealer Auction’s EV Performance Report (EVPR) shows an incredible surge in sales for hybrid vehicles throughout January. Hybrid’s sales share more than doubled month-on-month, rising from 5.96% in December 2025 to 11.97% in January – an impressive 100.8% increase.
This strong start to the year sets a positive precedent for the months ahead, underlining growing enthusiasm for hybrid vehicles and signalling a standout beginning to 2026 for the alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) segment as a whole. Further positive indicators from January include a notable 50% increase in bids received on AFVs, pointing to strengthening demand.
Dealer Auction Marketplace Director Kieran TeeBoon commented: “It’s remarkable to see how strongly hybrid vehicles have performed at the very start of 2026 – stealing 5% of the market share from diesel. We’re also encouraged by the substantial increase in bids across all AFVs, which reflects a dealer market that’s already gaining momentum for the year ahead.”
While the average vehicle age rose, taking it back to autumn 2025 levels, AFVs remained markedly lower than the average for all fuel types (4 years vs 6.2 years). As the pandemic shortage starts to impact used cars in the 6–7 years bracket, AFVs aged 4 could be the sweet spot between age, mileage, price and future-proofed travel.
Turning to the best-performing models for January 2026, it was electric’s time to shine. Three EVs featured in the top 10 overall, with two securing podium positions; the Renault Scenic E-Tech EV taking the top spot. Meanwhile, the Tesla Model 3 continued its consistent run, once again featuring among the top 10. Completing a strong showing for electrified vehicles, the Hyundai Kona Electric claimed third place, with its hybrid counterpart also performing strongly in seventh position – marking a double success for the Kona range.
But Hyundai’s momentum continued beyond the margin metrics. The Kona also performed well for trade sellers, securing second place in the CAP Clean performance chart, while the ever-reliable Mitsubishi Outlander took the top spot and fellow Hyundai stablemate, the Tucson, followed closely in third.
Sales performance delivered one clear standout: the Nissan Qashqai led the way by a significant margin, recording more than double the sales volume of any other model featured in the rankings.
TeeBoon concluded: “January has been a particularly strong month for mainstream brands like Renault, Hyundai and Nissan. While it’s encouraging to see familiar favourites continuing to perform well, it’s equally positive to see new models making meaningful gains. The strong mix of hybrid and electric vehicles sets an exciting tone for the year ahead, and we look forward to seeing which models drive both sales and profitability as 2026 progresses.”
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 Auto Trader. For more information, visit www.dealerauction.co.uk.
Launched in May 2024, Dealer Auction’s EV Performance Review (EVPR) is a monthly feature that tracks the performance and trends of EV and hybrid vehicles on the UK’s leading digital remarketing platform.
