72%
of recalled UK vehicles remain unfixed
Only around 28% of owners complete free safety-recall repairs, leaving dangerous defects on the road.
Source: UK Vehicle Recalls 2025 →The Carhealth Index
Data worth citing on the UK used-car market — safety recalls, mileage fraud, outstanding finance and market trends. Every figure is free to reference; a link back to the source is all we ask.
The figures
1 in 32
used cars has an outstanding safety recall
An unrepaired airbag, brake or fire-risk defect sits on roughly 3% of the UK fleet.
Source: UK Vehicle Recalls 2025 →7.64m
used cars changed hands in the UK in 2024
Up 5.5% year-on-year — the healthiest used-car market since 2020.
Source: UK Used Car Market Report →+57.4%
growth in used-EV sales, year-on-year
188,382 used EVs sold as average prices fell about 21% — the fastest-growing used segment.
Source: UK Used Car Market Report →~1 in 16
used cars has a clocked odometer
Mileage fraud is widespread across the UK market, with high-mileage diesels most often targeted.
Source: Carhealth Mileage Check →~1 in 5
used cars carries outstanding finance(estimate)
Industry estimate. Buy privately without checking and the outstanding debt can transfer to you.
Source: Carhealth Outstanding Finance Check →How to cite
Please reference us with a link.
The Carhealth Index is published under a CC BY 4.0 licence— you're free to use these figures in articles, reports and presentations, including commercially, as long as you credit Carhealth with a link to the relevant source.
Carhealth, “The Carhealth Index — UK Used-Car Data”, carhealth.co.uk. Available at: https://carhealth.co.uk/carhealth-index