Which used car body type do you think attracts the highest price?
According to a recent study this accolade is surprisingly not held by either the SUV or the double cab
Image: 123rf
Ever wondered which vehicle body type would attract the highest price? No, it’s not the popular sports utility vehicle (SUV). This honour, according to AutoTrader’s 2019 Q3 sales statistics, goes to the coupé. It rules the roost of the six body types covered (the other five are: double-cab, hatchback, single-cab, SUV and sedan).
George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader, says that the findings should not come as a big surprise. “We have an abundance of luxury coupés on our site from manufacturers such as Porsche and Ferrari,” he reveals. “Accordingly, the average price of R690,471 for coupé sales makes perfect sense.”
The average mileage for coupés sold – at 62,421km – was the second-lowest out of all body types.
The second-highest average price in quarter three of 2019 went to SUVs, which clocked in at R380,912. The average mileage for this body type was 74,779km. SUVs are now often carrying price tags of around R1m but, according to Mienie, those expensive vehicles don’t make up the bulk of sales.
“More affordable crossovers and smaller SUVs such as the Ford EcoSport (the 11th most-sold car in this period), the Mazda CX-3 and the Renault Duster have driven the average price lower,” he explains.
In third place is the double cab, with an average selling price of R339,588 and an average mileage of 88,728km. Fourth is the sedan, at R270,034 and 79,433km. Fifth place goes to hatchbacks (R187,005 and 54,743km).
The dubious honour for the body shape with the lowest average price goes to the humble single cab, which recorded R181,759. The average mileage for this body type – at 86,883km – was the second-highest out of all body types.
These statistics are of interest to motorists and car dealerships alike.
“By analysing the average price, by body type, we are able to understand the average entry point to a preferred body type for future potential customers. Equally, customers are able to effectively evaluate the deals they are being offered by using actual sales data,” Mienie concludes.