UK car marketHealth index
Are used cars getting better or worse? Compare the condition of cars inspected by CarExamer over time, alongside UK MOT results and market trends.
Annual findings: 2019–2026. These findings describe the cars we inspected, rather than every used car in the UK.
Explore the findingsMarket summary
Latest recorded year: 2026
What the evidence says
The condition of cars inspected by CarExamer deteriorated overall between 2019 and 2026. The condition index fell by 35.7 points, from 100.0 to 64.3. The strongest annual reading was 104.2 in 2020. Improvements in 2023 and 2025 did not reverse the overall decline. The latest 2026 reading is the lowest recorded in the series, indicating the highest weighted rate of adverse findings. This evidence covers 2,767 vehicles across 392,822 condition checks.
How the market has moved
Compare changes in vehicle condition from one quarter to the next.
Quarterly value
First-to-last trend
The graphs start at Q3 2019, with the quarterly Health index rebased to Q3 2019 = 100. Adverse findings show actual percentages. The annual summary uses the first recorded year as its baseline. The dashed trend line connects the first and last available quarterly values to show the overall change. At least two values are needed. Hover or tap a point for its quarter and value. Higher health index is better; a lower adverse-findings rate is better.
What the wider market shows
UK MOT results, used-car prices and licensed car numbers since May 2019.
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 baseline: 100
Sources These sources contributed evidence to the report. This list does not indicate live availability; the next publication from a source may still be pending.
- 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
Year by year
Explore vehicle condition, common findings and coverage for each recorded year.
2026 64.3health 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. -15.1 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. 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.
97.4%
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.
10.6 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.
64,545
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%.
Check the individual car before you buy
Market trends show the wider picture. Choose an independent CarExamer inspection to understand the condition, visible defects and buying risk of the specific vehicle you are considering.