Top 10 reasons Brits are selling their cars – as over five million drivers ‘seek an upgrade’ on their motor

THE top 10 reasons Brits are selling their cars have been revealed, with millions seeking an upgrade on their motors.

New data from Motorway, the UK’s fastest-growing used car online marketplace, shows that the majority of sellers are actually trading in for pricier rides despite the cost of living crisis.

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Around 35% of motorists cited receiving a promotion at work as the main factor in their decision to sell up.

That accounts for a whopping 5.2 million people.

This beat out the more stereotypical motivation of upsizing to accommodate a larger family, which sat in third at 8%.

Splitting the two was the 11% of drivers who sold up in 2023 because they knew they could get a great price for the second-hand vehicle.

Environmental concerns also weighed heavy on Brits’ minds, with complying with clean air restrictions and buying EVs to become greener rounding out the top five.

Indeed, ULEZ and Clean Air Zone rules motivated over half a million sales last year alone, according to the study.

Alex Buttle, co-founder of Motorway, told The Sun Online: “Millions of private used car sales take place in the UK each year and we know that with each car sale, there is a seller story behind it.

“Whether that’s because of a growing family, the need for a clean air zone-compliant vehicle or simply the desire to upgrade to something better, getting the best price will be the car seller’s number one priority. 

“Whatever the reason for people selling their car, we’re here to help everyone get a great deal.”

But don’t just take the data’s word for it, as you can get an idea on why so many cars are going on the market straight from the source.

Danielle, a new mum who sold her car on Motorway, was motivated to do so by the arrival of her newborn daughter.

As the big day approached, she decided to switch out her Vauxhall Corsa for a larger motor.

She said: “We found out that we were expecting a baby, so we needed to be able to sell our car to be able to afford to buy a bigger car.

“[Motorway] got me a great price.

“Our daughter was actually born prematurely so if it hadn’t have worked, life would have been very different.

“After spending 12 days in hospital with a premature baby, to have the safety and security of a nice car was a big positive.

“Our boot is full of pushchairs though.”

It comes after a “lazy mum” left her car spotless after people judged her for letting it turn mouldy.

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