Used diesel vehicles have seen their value rise more than any other fuel type over the past year, with drivers refusing to give up the cars for electric models, new data suggests.
It comes as figures revealed that used diesel car prices have increased by 1.6 per cent in the 12 months to April 2025, outperforming petrol models, which saw just a 0.5 per cent rise.
Some diesel models have seen particularly impressive value growth, with certain three-year-old examples appreciating by as much as 9.1 per cent year-on-year.
The growth is particularly noticeable as the new car market continues to move away from diesel, with registrations falling to just one in every 18 new cars sold this year, representing a 13 per cent decline compared to the first five months of 2024.
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Reports found that used diesel cars have been growing in the past year
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As the UK pushes forward with the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, the choice of new diesel cars has shrunk dramatically, with analysis revealing a 68 per cent reduction in less than a decade.
Only 65 diesel options exist across the 30 most popular manufacturers, compared to 202 different models available in 2015 when diesels represented half of new car registrations.
Meanwhile, several major brands have completely eliminated diesel engines from their fleet, with Vauxhall, Toyota, Volvo, Hyundai, Fiat, Nissan, Honda and Mini all discontinuing their diesel variants.
Ford has reduced its diesel options from 13 to just two, while Peugeot has cut from 11 models to only a couple, while Kia and Renault now offer just one diesel model each.
New registrations have plummeted to just 123,104 in 2024, representing one-tenth of the volume from a decade earlier.
Of the 7.6 million second-hand transactions recorded last year, almost 2.7 million were diesel vehicles, representing 35 per cent of all used cars changing hands.
The average used diesel has also been found to be valued at £14,383, nearly matching the average petrol car price of £14,912. On average, used diesels are being snapped up within 27 days, two days faster than in April 2024 and on par with petrol models.
Marc Palmer, head of strategy and insights at Auto Trader, said there's "no sign of the diesel death rattle just yet", noting that a segment of the market still values diesel cars, particularly long-distance drivers.
Under the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate diesel cars will need to be phased out by 2030
PAHe warned that anyone hoping for significant price falls would be disappointed, as manufacturers continue to move away from producing new diesel models, squeezing the second-hand market further.
The fastest-selling used diesel last month was the Dacia Duster, with drivers purchasing a model between five and 10 years old within just 18 days of being advertised.
The Audi A8 (2017-current) executive saloon also tops the list with a 9.1 per cent increase, with a three-year-old example seeing its value rise from £31,941 in April 2024 to £34,844 last month, marking a near £3,000 jump.
The previous-generation Honda HR-V SUV (2019-2021) has also seen a nine per cent rise, while BMW X3 models (2017-2025) have increased by 8.1 per cent.
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Diesel cars have been picking up in the used car market
PAChris Plumb, head of current car valuations at Cap Hpi, explained: "The performance of diesel vehicles remains strong in the used market, primarily driven by the continued decline in the availability of both new and used diesel models."
He added that despite the industry shift toward electrification, consumer demand persists because diesels "continue to offer attractive fuel efficiency, stronger torque for towing, and a longer driving range compared to petrol, making them a practical choice for long-distance and high-mileage drivers".
