Insights from Auto Trader – Are you a part of the 70K who plan to buy a new van?

As an online platform that is well known for connecting car buyers and sellers, Auto Trader is often the first stop in the vehicle buying journey.

Like many dealerships, we team showcasing our vans and 4x4s for sale on our website with advertising on Auto Trader to ensure we get the high-quality vehicles to the individuals who need them. With a whopping 4.4 million visits each month, Auto Trader is the ideal place to browse, buy and sell for many, including us. The platform is a readymade marketplace that enables us to deliver the Vans 247 service to an even wider range of customers across the whole of the UK.

With so much market reach, Auto Trader is well placed for gathering the data that helps us better understand the dynamics of the van world, and their latest update shares some rather interesting statistics…

Around 70,000 people plan to buy within the next 3 months

As of June 2024, around 70% of van visitors to the Auto Trader website plan to purchase within the next three months, which means some serious competition if you are interested in buying a van for business or leisure.

There’s no change for the UK’s most popular van makes and models

It seems that as a nation we’re creatures of habit. The top five most popular vans on Auto Trader remained unchanged from 2023, with the Ford Ranger, Ford Transit Custom, Renault Trafic, Volkswagen Transporter and Ford Transit Connect retaining top positions.

The number of vans on UK roads is going from strength to strength

Whether you invest in one of the nation’s most desirable vans or not, you’ll join a growing number of LCVs on UK roads. According to Auto Trader, the number of vans has increased by 14% when compared to 2019, with the supply of older vans in particular skyrocketing.

With demand for used vans and general market health down, vans are more competitively priced than ever. With this, it should come as no surprise that sales of used LCVs are selling at a good pace (in 39 days on average). Demand for LCVs remains high as consumers shop more online hence the need for more vehicles to deliver. When purchasing an older, used van however, due diligence is the key to buying the right stock.

The transition to electric is painfully slow for the van market

Auto Trader data also revealed that interest and uptake in the electric van market remains low, with sales much slower for LCVs than cars. Poor infrastructure is a key factor in the great electric van slowdown, with the extortionate price of new EVs, shorter range, charging challenges and payload difficulties representing other barriers to entry.

Purchase your new or used van direct by shopping with us

Whatever the van market holds for us, buying your new or used van or 4x4 direct from us is the key to enjoying a great service and even better value for money. Visit our website to get started.