CarExamer evidence report
UK car market health index
A year-by-year view of whether the condition of cars inspected by CarExamer is getting better or worse, supported by official UK market data.
Recorded 2019–2026 · yearly aggregates
All recorded years
Market summary
What the evidence says
The 2026 inspected-car market is less healthy than 2019, based on 2,735 vehicles and 388,674 recorded condition checks. An index above 100 means fewer weighted adverse findings than the first recorded year.
Quarterly trend
How the market has moved
Hover or tap a point for its quarter and value. Higher health index is better; a lower adverse-findings rate is better.
Official UK context
What the wider market shows
Current market signal
120.4
Used-car price index The latest ONS second-hand car price reading, rebased so the average of the available 2019 readings equals 100. A value of 110 places the price index about 10% above that baseline. This is a price measure and says nothing about vehicle condition.
Latest ONS D7E9 reading, rebased to 2019
2019 baseline100
Source coverage A badge is shown when an official source supplied usable evidence to at least one saved snapshot. It is not a live connection indicator. The next release from that source may still be pending.
Availability used for this report
ONS second-hand cars CPI index
DVSA national MOT statistics
DfT and DVLA vehicle licensing data
DVSA anonymised MOT extracts
DVSA MOT history API
DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service
Recorded evidence
Year by year
2026 63.7health index The first recorded year's adverse rate is fixed at 100. For later years, the baseline adverse rate is divided by that year's adverse rate and multiplied by 100. A higher index means fewer weighted poor and fair findings. A lower index means more. -15.7 vs previous year The movement from the immediately preceding recorded year in index points, not percent. A positive number means fewer weighted adverse findings. A negative number means more. 8.5% adverse rate Poor checklist findings count at full weight and fair findings at half weight. Their combined weighted total is divided by all assessed checklist points for the year. Lower is better.
Coverage Full year means all twelve monthly snapshots are stored. Partial year means fewer than twelve months are available, normally because recording began during that year or the current year is not yet complete.
Partial year
Vehicles with adverse items The proportion of inspected vehicles with at least one checklist point graded poor or fair. A vehicle is counted once in this percentage whether it has one adverse item or several.
96.8%
Typical vehicle age A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median ages, calculated from the recorded year of manufacture where that information is available. It applies only to the vehicles inspected by CarExamer and is not the average age of the UK fleet.
10.5 yrs
Typical mileage A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median mileages from inspections with a usable mileage reading. Missing or invalid readings are excluded rather than treated as zero.
65,226
Areas with the most adverse findings The five inspection sections with the highest weighted adverse rate. Each percentage is calculated against the checklist points assessed within that section. The bars are separate rates and are not expected to add up to 100%.
2025 79.4health index The first recorded year's adverse rate is fixed at 100. For later years, the baseline adverse rate is divided by that year's adverse rate and multiplied by 100. A higher index means fewer weighted poor and fair findings. A lower index means more. +1.8 vs previous year The movement from the immediately preceding recorded year in index points, not percent. A positive number means fewer weighted adverse findings. A negative number means more. 6.9% adverse rate Poor checklist findings count at full weight and fair findings at half weight. Their combined weighted total is divided by all assessed checklist points for the year. Lower is better.
Coverage Full year means all twelve monthly snapshots are stored. Partial year means fewer than twelve months are available, normally because recording began during that year or the current year is not yet complete.
Full year
Vehicles with adverse items The proportion of inspected vehicles with at least one checklist point graded poor or fair. A vehicle is counted once in this percentage whether it has one adverse item or several.
97.5%
Typical vehicle age A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median ages, calculated from the recorded year of manufacture where that information is available. It applies only to the vehicles inspected by CarExamer and is not the average age of the UK fleet.
9.6 yrs
Typical mileage A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median mileages from inspections with a usable mileage reading. Missing or invalid readings are excluded rather than treated as zero.
66,050
Areas with the most adverse findings The five inspection sections with the highest weighted adverse rate. Each percentage is calculated against the checklist points assessed within that section. The bars are separate rates and are not expected to add up to 100%.
2024 77.6health index The first recorded year's adverse rate is fixed at 100. For later years, the baseline adverse rate is divided by that year's adverse rate and multiplied by 100. A higher index means fewer weighted poor and fair findings. A lower index means more. -9.1 vs previous year The movement from the immediately preceding recorded year in index points, not percent. A positive number means fewer weighted adverse findings. A negative number means more. 7.0% adverse rate Poor checklist findings count at full weight and fair findings at half weight. Their combined weighted total is divided by all assessed checklist points for the year. Lower is better.
Coverage Full year means all twelve monthly snapshots are stored. Partial year means fewer than twelve months are available, normally because recording began during that year or the current year is not yet complete.
Full year
Vehicles with adverse items The proportion of inspected vehicles with at least one checklist point graded poor or fair. A vehicle is counted once in this percentage whether it has one adverse item or several.
96.4%
Typical vehicle age A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median ages, calculated from the recorded year of manufacture where that information is available. It applies only to the vehicles inspected by CarExamer and is not the average age of the UK fleet.
9.5 yrs
Typical mileage A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median mileages from inspections with a usable mileage reading. Missing or invalid readings are excluded rather than treated as zero.
62,764
Areas with the most adverse findings The five inspection sections with the highest weighted adverse rate. Each percentage is calculated against the checklist points assessed within that section. The bars are separate rates and are not expected to add up to 100%.
2023 86.7health index The first recorded year's adverse rate is fixed at 100. For later years, the baseline adverse rate is divided by that year's adverse rate and multiplied by 100. A higher index means fewer weighted poor and fair findings. A lower index means more. +4.6 vs previous year The movement from the immediately preceding recorded year in index points, not percent. A positive number means fewer weighted adverse findings. A negative number means more. 6.3% adverse rate Poor checklist findings count at full weight and fair findings at half weight. Their combined weighted total is divided by all assessed checklist points for the year. Lower is better.
Coverage Full year means all twelve monthly snapshots are stored. Partial year means fewer than twelve months are available, normally because recording began during that year or the current year is not yet complete.
Full year
Vehicles with adverse items The proportion of inspected vehicles with at least one checklist point graded poor or fair. A vehicle is counted once in this percentage whether it has one adverse item or several.
96.0%
Typical vehicle age A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median ages, calculated from the recorded year of manufacture where that information is available. It applies only to the vehicles inspected by CarExamer and is not the average age of the UK fleet.
10.1 yrs
Typical mileage A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median mileages from inspections with a usable mileage reading. Missing or invalid readings are excluded rather than treated as zero.
60,584
Areas with the most adverse findings The five inspection sections with the highest weighted adverse rate. Each percentage is calculated against the checklist points assessed within that section. The bars are separate rates and are not expected to add up to 100%.
2022 82.1health index The first recorded year's adverse rate is fixed at 100. For later years, the baseline adverse rate is divided by that year's adverse rate and multiplied by 100. A higher index means fewer weighted poor and fair findings. A lower index means more. -16.0 vs previous year The movement from the immediately preceding recorded year in index points, not percent. A positive number means fewer weighted adverse findings. A negative number means more. 6.6% adverse rate Poor checklist findings count at full weight and fair findings at half weight. Their combined weighted total is divided by all assessed checklist points for the year. Lower is better.
Coverage Full year means all twelve monthly snapshots are stored. Partial year means fewer than twelve months are available, normally because recording began during that year or the current year is not yet complete.
Full year
Vehicles with adverse items The proportion of inspected vehicles with at least one checklist point graded poor or fair. A vehicle is counted once in this percentage whether it has one adverse item or several.
99.5%
Typical vehicle age A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median ages, calculated from the recorded year of manufacture where that information is available. It applies only to the vehicles inspected by CarExamer and is not the average age of the UK fleet.
9.5 yrs
Typical mileage A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median mileages from inspections with a usable mileage reading. Missing or invalid readings are excluded rather than treated as zero.
68,988
Areas with the most adverse findings The five inspection sections with the highest weighted adverse rate. Each percentage is calculated against the checklist points assessed within that section. The bars are separate rates and are not expected to add up to 100%.
2021 98.1health index The first recorded year's adverse rate is fixed at 100. For later years, the baseline adverse rate is divided by that year's adverse rate and multiplied by 100. A higher index means fewer weighted poor and fair findings. A lower index means more. -6.1 vs previous year The movement from the immediately preceding recorded year in index points, not percent. A positive number means fewer weighted adverse findings. A negative number means more. 5.5% adverse rate Poor checklist findings count at full weight and fair findings at half weight. Their combined weighted total is divided by all assessed checklist points for the year. Lower is better.
Coverage Full year means all twelve monthly snapshots are stored. Partial year means fewer than twelve months are available, normally because recording began during that year or the current year is not yet complete.
Full year
Vehicles with adverse items The proportion of inspected vehicles with at least one checklist point graded poor or fair. A vehicle is counted once in this percentage whether it has one adverse item or several.
93.5%
Typical vehicle age A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median ages, calculated from the recorded year of manufacture where that information is available. It applies only to the vehicles inspected by CarExamer and is not the average age of the UK fleet.
9.8 yrs
Typical mileage A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median mileages from inspections with a usable mileage reading. Missing or invalid readings are excluded rather than treated as zero.
63,783
Areas with the most adverse findings The five inspection sections with the highest weighted adverse rate. Each percentage is calculated against the checklist points assessed within that section. The bars are separate rates and are not expected to add up to 100%.
2020 104.2health index The first recorded year's adverse rate is fixed at 100. For later years, the baseline adverse rate is divided by that year's adverse rate and multiplied by 100. A higher index means fewer weighted poor and fair findings. A lower index means more. +4.2 vs previous year The movement from the immediately preceding recorded year in index points, not percent. A positive number means fewer weighted adverse findings. A negative number means more. 5.2% adverse rate Poor checklist findings count at full weight and fair findings at half weight. Their combined weighted total is divided by all assessed checklist points for the year. Lower is better.
Coverage Full year means all twelve monthly snapshots are stored. Partial year means fewer than twelve months are available, normally because recording began during that year or the current year is not yet complete.
Full year
Vehicles with adverse items The proportion of inspected vehicles with at least one checklist point graded poor or fair. A vehicle is counted once in this percentage whether it has one adverse item or several.
91.5%
Typical vehicle age A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median ages, calculated from the recorded year of manufacture where that information is available. It applies only to the vehicles inspected by CarExamer and is not the average age of the UK fleet.
8.8 yrs
Typical mileage A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median mileages from inspections with a usable mileage reading. Missing or invalid readings are excluded rather than treated as zero.
62,978
Areas with the most adverse findings The five inspection sections with the highest weighted adverse rate. Each percentage is calculated against the checklist points assessed within that section. The bars are separate rates and are not expected to add up to 100%.
2019 100.0health index The first recorded year's adverse rate is fixed at 100. For later years, the baseline adverse rate is divided by that year's adverse rate and multiplied by 100. A higher index means fewer weighted poor and fair findings. A lower index means more. Baseline first recorded year The first recorded year is the baseline and is fixed at 100. There is no earlier CarExamer year available for comparison. 5.4% adverse rate Poor checklist findings count at full weight and fair findings at half weight. Their combined weighted total is divided by all assessed checklist points for the year. Lower is better.
Coverage Full year means all twelve monthly snapshots are stored. Partial year means fewer than twelve months are available, normally because recording began during that year or the current year is not yet complete.
Partial year
Vehicles with adverse items The proportion of inspected vehicles with at least one checklist point graded poor or fair. A vehicle is counted once in this percentage whether it has one adverse item or several.
93.2%
Typical vehicle age A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median ages, calculated from the recorded year of manufacture where that information is available. It applies only to the vehicles inspected by CarExamer and is not the average age of the UK fleet.
9.0 yrs
Typical mileage A vehicle-count-weighted average of the monthly median mileages from inspections with a usable mileage reading. Missing or invalid readings are excluded rather than treated as zero.
72,813
Areas with the most adverse findings The five inspection sections with the highest weighted adverse rate. Each percentage is calculated against the checklist points assessed within that section. The bars are separate rates and are not expected to add up to 100%.
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