Are you looking for a second-hand car? If so, read on to find out which models a team of expert road testers have named as Britain’s best used bikes right now.
Which car? has listed its top picks in eight different categories – and if you don’t like them, there’s a selection of recommended alternatives in each segment for you to consider as well.
The top prize went to BMW’s 3 Series, the evergreen model that has been a fixture on our roads for decades due to its popularity among families, commercial vehicle drivers and salespeople.
Scroll down to see the other segment winners
The best used car Brits can buy: the BMW 3 Series (2019-present) has been rated by experts at What Car?
The Bavarian executive sedan was chosen by What Car?’s dedicated team of testers, who selected their favorites based on a range of factors including value for money, slow depreciation, strong reliability, product quality, usability and relative running costs.
The current 3 Series, launched in 2019, took away two category wins this year; best used business car for the entire series, plus best hybrid for the 330e PHEV.
If you’re considering a second-hand 3 Series, prices for a three-year-old example with less than 50,000 miles on the odometer start from just over £20,000, depending on the vehicles currently listed on Auto Trader.
The 3 Series beat a host of excellent cars to the overall crown, fending off strong competition from the best-selling new model of 2023, the Ford Puma (2019-present) and Tesla’s impressive Model 3 (2019-present) EV.
It was voted the best used car for its enormous driver appeal, wide range of engines, luxurious interior and class-leading refinement, as well as its versatility.
The 3 Series scooped awards at What Car?’s annual Used Car Awards, with its expert team of road testers choosing their recommendations for buyers looking at used vehicles
According to the road testers, the car won because of its enormous driver appeal, wide range of engines, luxurious interior and class-leading refinement, as well as its versatility.
With a quality interior and a choice of economical petrol, diesel and hybrid engines, What Car? said the BMW 3 Series is the standout used car
Which car? Mark Pearson, used car editor, said: ‘The task of choosing just one winner seems to become more difficult every year.
‘Ultimately, however, the 3 Series stood out.
‘It’s a desirable choice that does almost everything exceptionally well, meaning you can buy it with your head as well as your heart, and its versatility has seen it win not one but two of our classes this year.
‘It was the variety of options it offers the used car buyer, from fast petrols to economical diesels and a very tempting hybrid, that earned it the win.
‘The fact that this immensely attractive business car would also have such a great value if bought second-hand sealed the deal for us.’
If you’re considering a second-hand 3 Series, prices for a three-year-old example with less than 30,000 miles start from just over £20,000, according to Auto Trader’s listings
Which car? said current second-hand prices and strong residual values for the 3 Series are other reasons why the BMW took the top prize in 2023
The current 3 Series, launched in 2019, took away two category wins this year; best used executive car for the range as a whole, plus best hybrid for the 330e PHEV (photo)
The Audi TT (2014-2023) was named the best used sports car in the same year that production will stop as the beloved coupe and roadster will be removed from the German brand’s range after 25 years on sale.
Other winners include Honda’s reliable Jazz (2020-present) as best hatchback, Peugeot’s 5008 (2017-present) topping the seven-seater and Volkswagen’s Passat Estate (2015-2023) as favorite among station wagons.
The best second-hand suggestions are published on a a time when rising used car prices appear to have hit a ceiling of late and are already starting to decline.
Other notable used car recommendations include the current Audi TT (right). Production of the popular sports car will end this year, some 25 years after the original (left) arrived
The award for best used SUV went to Ford’s compact Puma (2019-present). This will also be Britain’s best-selling new model of 2023
Honda’s durable and practical Jazz (2020-present) was named the best hatchback for used buyers
The severely limited supply of new cars in the two years following the pandemic increased demand for used models immediately available to drivers. This in turn intensified competition for quality vehicles and pushed prices to record levels.
However, according to Auto Trader’s latest monthly report, the average price of a used car in September was £17,736, which is down 0.4 percent year-on-year and 1.2 percent less month-on-month.
‘The market overlaps three years of exceptionally high levels of growth; in September 2022 and 2021, prices increased by 11.2 percent year-on-year and 21.4 percent respectively,” experts from the used car sales platform explain.
As a result of the stabilization of prices, used buyers can now get more car for their money than in previous months in 2023.
This is great news considering how much the overall cost of living has risen, but which car? believes it is very important that consumers still carefully choose a second-hand car.
And to help them make their selection, the Used Car of the Year Awards highlight the best used models in eight classes, ranging from hatchbacks to SUVs, with an overall winner chosen from the category winners.
Here are the engines. Which car? Suggest you buy when you buy second hand:
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