Analysis by AA Cars has revealed that the Ford Transit van entered the best-selling used car list for the first time in 2020.
According to AA Car Finance data, the Ford Transit was said to be the ninth best-selling used vehicle of 2020, as a growing number of people who had lost work or been made redundant turned to delivery driving to bolster their income.
Data by ONS retail, also revealed that one Pound in every three spent on shopping went to an online retailer during some months of the pandemic as millions of Britons switched to online shopping.
Ford and Vauxhall continued to dominate the list of best-selling cars, with SUVs and smaller family hatchbacks remaining firm favourites.
The Fiat 500 moved up from ninth to sixth place, as searches on the AA Cars website for the Fiat 500 reportedly surged towards the end of lockdown. This spike in interest may have been driven by commuters keen to swap public transport for a car for their journeys to and from work.
The Nissan Juke and Volkswagen Golf re-entered the top 10 after falling out of the list in 2019. But Mercedes, which had two vehicles in last year’s top 10, failed to get any models into this year’s ranking.
Demand for used cars grew significantly after the relaxation of the UK’s first nationwide lockdown, with searches on the AA Cars site regularly registering higher in 2020 than in 2019.
The following table shows the best-selling cars of 2020 on AA Cars:
| Rank | Make and model |
| 1 | Ford Fiesta |
| 2 | Ford Focus |
| 3 | Vauxhall Corsa |
| 4 | Vauxhall Astra |
| 5 | Nissan Juke |
| 6 | Fiat 500 |
| 7 | Nissan Qashqai |
| 8 | Volkswagen Golf |
| 9 | Ford Transit |
| 10 | Vauxhall Insignia |
The data also revealed that Brits remained enduring fans of Ford and Vauxhall, two car marques that have topped the brands list every year since 2015.
Kia entered the top 10 for the first time in 2019, but has since slipped back out, swapping places with Citroen in this year’s ranking.
The following table shows the top-selling marques of 2020 on AA Cars:
| Rank | Marque |
| 1 | Ford |
| 2 | Vauxhall |
| 3 | Volkswagen |
| 4 | Nissan |
| 5 | Mercedes |
| 6 | BMW |
| 7 | Citroen |
| 8 | Audi |
| 9 | Peugeot |
| 10 | Renault |
James Fairclough, CEO of AA Cars, commented: “The entry of the Ford Transit into the best-selling cars of 2020 is a true sign of the times, and a testament to how online deliveries have boomed as the pandemic kept millions of us at home for much of the year.
“The easing of Covid restrictions in summer saw many commuters reassess how they travel to work too. The Fiat 500, a nippy and fuel-efficient city car, proved particularly popular with those looking for an inexpensive way to swap the train for driving.
“Drivers are spoiled for choice in the used car market, and since the UK’s first lockdown, demand has been strong, and at times even higher than that seen during 2019.
“The economic impact of the pandemic is shifting buying behaviour too. With many people keeping a close eye on their finances, the wide choice and strong value of the used car market has proved a big draw.
“The motor industry is adapting to people’s changing needs, and we expect flexible leasing options to become more prevalent next year – as they offer those drivers who don’t want to commit to owning a car long-term the chance to drive a brand new vehicle.”
