How much is my car worth? 2026 valuation & selling guide
How much is your car worth?
| Author: Keith WR Jones | Last updated: 11th February 2026 |
5-step valuation checklist
- Check your exact mileage
- Note all optional extras
- Document full service history
- Get 3 different online quotes
- Clean the car for a "Condition Bonus."
Valuation Guide: everything you need to know
- 🔍 Your car's market value: how it's calculated
- 📈 Factors affecting value: mileage, condition & spec
- 🏷️ Trade-in vs private: why prices are different
- 📑 Maintenance matters: how service history adds value
- 🚫 Write-offs & damage: valuing a car with a history
- ⚡ EV & hybrid values: Special rules for electric cars
- 🧼 Pre-sale prep: cheap ways to boost your car's worth
- ❓ Valuation FAQs: Common pricing questions
Whether you are arranging insurance, selling your car or buying a new one, having a clear idea about what your car is worth is useful intel to have at hand.
Understanding what various valuation headings mean can prove tricky if you're not familiar with the terms the industry uses, while websites suggesting prices that seem significantly different from each other can be a further source of confusion. We're here to help
How is my car's market value calculated in 2026?
In 2026, car valuation has moved far beyond simple "book prices." While traditional factors like age and mileage remain the foundation, your car’s market value is now calculated using a highly dynamic, "hybrid" approach that combines live data with aggressive economic and regulatory shifts.
Here is how that number is reached:
Real-time algorithmic pricing
The baseline for your valuation is set by Automated Valuation Models (AVMs). Unlike the static monthly guides of the past, these algorithms analyse millions of live data points daily, including auction results, dealer forecourt listings and private classifieds. If a specific model like an Audi A3 starts selling 5% faster in London than in Manchester, the algorithm adjusts the local value instantly to reflect that demand.
The "U-Curve" of scarcity and demand
We are currently seeing a "supply cliff" for cars aged 5 to 7 years. Because nearly 2.5 million new cars were not sold during the pandemic years (2020–2022), there is a massive shortage of "middle-aged" used stock. This has created a unique bubble where a well-maintained 6-year-old petrol car may hold its value significantly better than a 3-year-old ex-fleet vehicle that is flooding the market.
The "tax revolution" & ULEZ compliance
As of April 2026, the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) reform has become a primary valuation driver. The high-emission penalty means that older, high-CO2 vehicles (like pre-2017 performance cars) now face annual tax bills as high as £760. This "tax burden" is often subtracted directly from the market value, as buyers are unwilling to pay a premium for cars that cost 10% of their total worth just to keep on the road.
Meanwhile, electric vehicles are no longer exempt from road tax and a surge in ex-lease supply has seen used EV prices "correct" to be more in line with petrol equivalents.
Detailed provenance & "state of health"
Condition is no longer just about kicking the tyres. In 2026, a full service history is expected, but the market now places a premium on digital provenance. For EVs, a Battery State of Health (SOH) certificate can add up to £1500 to a valuation. For petrol cars, evidence of preventative maintenance (like cambelt or wet-belt replacements) is now vital for a car to reach its "Excellent" price bracket.
Top 7 factors that increase (or decrease) your car’s resale value
The biggest factors that influence a car's value are its age, condition and mileage.
Age
Generally speaking, cars are worth the least at 10-15 years old, after which they tend to plateau before gradually climbing to varying degrees depending upon how sought after they are as classics.
Condition
Unsurprisingly, the better kept a car has been, the more it will be worth compared with an otherwise identical model that's not been cared for. This includes bodywork, the wheels, its interior and its mechanical state.
Mileage
The more a car has been driven, the less it will be worth compared with an identical version that's covered less distance. Higher mileage means more wear and tear, regardless of how considerately it's been driven. Older cars with ultra-low mileages aren't necessarily the best buys, as some components may need replacing due to age, even if they've hardly been used.
Service history
Cars lacking the documentated paperwork to confirm their servicing and maintenance histories will be worth less because they represent a considerable risk to the next buyer. Don't be fooled into thinking it must be okay simply because the car looks to be in tip-top condition.
Optional extras
Few optional extras make much difference to used values, although they may increase a car's saleability. For instance, early sat-nav systems were very expensive new but with low-quality graphics and outdated maps, they're not much use now. Air-conditioning and parking sensors that weren't part of the car's standard equipment could have a positive uplift on its used value, providing they still function properly.
Paint colour
Unusual, bright and bold colours sadly tend to have a negative impact on cars' values as finding someone with the same taste as the original buyer might be tricky. This is why so many cars on the road are 'safer' choices such as greys, silvers, blacks and whites — they appeal to a broader potential audience of used car buyers.
Trade-in vs private: why prices are different
The price difference between a dealership offer and a private sale usually comes down to "retail readiness."
A dealer isn't just buying your car, they are buying an asset they must professionally valet, mechanically inspect, warranty and advertise. In 2026, expect a dealer offer to be 15% to 25% lower than the private market value to cover these overheads.
When you trade-in, the dealer handles the DVLA paperwork and provides immediate payment. A private sale earns you more cash but costs you time. On average, it takes 15–20 hours to manage listings, inquiries and viewings.
Maintenance matters: how service history adds value
In 2026, a full service history (FSH) is the single best way to protect your car’s residual value.
Industry data shows that a car with a complete, stamped service book can be worth up to 20% more than an identical car with missing records.
Most cars now have digital service records. Ensure you have print-outs or a digital service record (DSR) pass from a main dealer.
Even small receipts for wipers or bulbs build a 'psychological profile' of a careful owner, which often leads to a faster sale at a higher asking price.
Write-offs & damage: valuing a car with a history
Selling a Cat car (Category S or N) requires total transparency. In 2026, these cars are more common but require specific pricing strategies.
Category N (Non-structural): These cars usually sell for 20%–30% less than the market average. They are often written off for cosmetic damage that was simply too expensive for an insurer to fix at new part prices.
Category S (Structural): Expect a 40%–50% price drop. Because the frame or "skeleton" of the car was damaged, buyers (and insurers) view these as higher risk.
You can claw back some value by providing photos of the original damage and the professional repair invoice. It proves the car wasn't just "bodged" back together.
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EV & hybrid values: special rules for electric cars
In 2026, the engine mileage is less important than Battery Health (SoH). A used EV with an independent Battery State of Health (SoH) certificate (showing 90%+ capacity) can sell for £1000 more than one without.
Ensure you highlight the remaining years on the battery warranty (i.e 8-year/100,000-miles) as this is the number one safety net for used EV buyers.
Including the Type 2 and 3-pin charging cables in the sale adds roughly £200–£300 in perceived value, as buyers hate having to purchase these separately.
Pre-sale prep: cheap ways to boost your car's worth
You don't need a professional valet to increase your car's value. Focus on these cheap fixes:
The supermarket detail A £15 home valeting kit can add £200 to the perceived value. Focus on the touchpoints - the steering wheel, gear stick and door handles should be grease-free.
Fix the face Cloudy headlights make a car look old. A £10 restoration paste can make the car look five years younger in photos.
Clear the codes If you have a non-critical warning light (like a service reminder), get it cleared. A clean dashboard is essential for a test drive.
Smell sells: Remove all air fresheners - they often signal you're hiding a pet or smoke odor. A neutral smelling car is the most valuable car.
Selling your car online: How to get the highest valuation
Selling cars online has become much more popular since the Covid pandemic, with continued growth because of their hassle-free processes for taking your old model off your hands.
There's no hard and fast rule about whether selling online or privately will give you the highest return, but it's not unusual to receive more for your car selling this way than you would if you traded it in.
You can find out more about your choices when it comes to selling cars with our comprehensive guide.
Motorway*
Motorway* is one of the UK's most popular sites for selling your car online. Simply enter your car’s registration number and mileage to sell your car to a verified dealer, often for a better price than part exchange.
Motorway connects your car with the best offer from an exclusive network of 5000+ verified dealers and professional buyers.
By selling directly to a verified dealer, you cut out the middlemen and could get more than through other selling routes.
Motorway is completely free to use if you’re selling your car.
What are the fees?
Motorway* is 100 per cent free to use and there are never any charges to sell via Motorway's exclusive dealer network.
Why do I need to know the price of my car?
There are usually three instances when you are likely to need to know how much your car is worth:
Buying a car
A new model may have caught your eye, but without a car valuation, how do you know if what's the seller is asking for it is fair?
A valuation will guide you to reasonable prices to expect to pay — from heighest to lowest — at franchised dealers (those that also sell brand new cars), used car specialists and private sellers. The differences reflect typical costs involved remedying any defects before the car was put up for sale, the thoroughness of pre-sale servicing and maintenance and the level of aftersales care you can expect.
Selling your car
When it comes to selling your existing model, getting a valuation will guide you to knowing what a reasonable price is whether you are trading-in (also known as part-exhanging) or selling it privately.
Usually, a private sale valuation will be higher than that of a part-ex, because a dealer buying your old car will factor-in costs for any remedial and servicing work, as well as accounting for a profit margin. They're running a business, after all, not a charity.
Renewing your car insurance
Each year when you take out a new policy to cover your car, the insurer will ask what you believe it is worth.
In some regards, this is unnecessary because in the event of a write-off, the insurer will initially offer what it's advised a trade-in value would be, not what it would cost to buy a like-for-like replacement, often requiring you to provide evidence to the contrary to increase the settlement figure.
Basing the value you quote in the first place around the retail price of the car at a franchised dealer — usually the most expensive option — indicates you know what you're talking about, rather than simply plucking a figure out of thin air.
Where else can I get a free car valuation from?
Honest John
It won't suprise you to know that we offer a free valuation service based on the prices of cars advertised for sale, so it's updated daily to reflect market changes.
You can search using the car's registration number or, if you simply want a clearer idea of values for particular derivatives, you can use the make and model links provided.
Parkers Car Price Guide
Launched in March 1972 as Parker's New, Used & Trade Car Price Guide, the printed edition went out of publication in January 2020, but it lives on as an online-only service. Its valuations are based around CAP HPI's projections.
Parkers offers a free valuation, based on a car having covered an average annual mileage but for a fee you can adjust this amount and factor-in some optional extras that may be fitted to your car. Fees range from £4.99 for a 24-hour package, £5.99 for a week's worth of access and £9.99 to do the same for a whole month.
Auto Trader
One of the biggest used car buying and selling sites in the UK, Auto Trader sees many transactions from dealers and private individuals and, as a result, has an extensive database of used car values.
Auto Trader offers a car guide price based on the latest car values and offers figures for private sales and part-exchange prices.
Why am I getting different valuations?
This can seem particularly confusing, so it's worth reiterating that any car valuation is a guide price of what is reasonable to expect, not a definite amount of money.
When you keep that in mind, you will realise that in most instances any price discrepencies between different valuation sites are modest in percentage terms, so tread warily around figures that are wildly out of sync with the others.
Essentially, there are two key ways in which these differences occur:
Price monitoring
This method is the one we use, with used car prices tracked daily to reflect changes in the marketplace by monitoring prices of cars. They can all be correct yet provide different valuations because of the differences in the data pool, which is usually based on the cars advertised for sale on specific websites.
Depreciation curves
Some car valuation specialist companies, such as CAP HPI and Glass's, provide data to car manufacturers about how they believe their new models will devalue over time, each employing different rationale for their modelling.
These depreciation curves are then used to create guide prices for those working in the used car trade to help advise them on how to price different models.
When these guide prices are adjusted in the real world to reflect what customers are willing to pay, this information is fed back to the valuation specialists which then adjust their curves with the latest intel, making them more accurate. Some third-party valuation providers, such as Parkers, then factor-in additional information, which creates further price variance.
Car valuation FAQ: 2026 expert guide
Why is my car valuation lower than I expected?
Valuations are often lower than the prices you see on dealer forecourts because those are Retail Prices. A dealer has to factor in reconditioning costs, a warranty, and a profit margin. If your valuation seems low, it could also be due to high mileage, a lack of service history, or an unpopular colour, all of which can reduce value by 10–15%.
Does a full service history (FSH) really increase my car's value?
Yes. In 2026, a documented service history is one of the strongest trust signals. For a standard family car, a missing service book can reduce your valuation by up to 20%. Buyers want proof that the car has been maintained according to manufacturer standards to avoid future repair costs.
How much value does a new car lose in the first year?
On average, a new car loses 15–35% of its value in the first 12 months. This is known as "drive-away depreciation." By the three-year mark, most cars have lost 50–60% of their original sticker price. Electric vehicles (EVs) can sometimes depreciate faster due to rapid advancements in battery technology.
Is it better to sell my car privately or part-exchange it?
It depends on your priority: money or time.
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Private sale: Usually gets you the highest price (approx. 10–15% more), but requires managing viewings and paperwork.
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Part-exchange: Much faster and "hassle-free," but the dealer will offer a lower "trade-in" price to ensure they can make a profit on the resale.
Can I get a higher valuation by making small repairs?
Minor cosmetic fixes - like polishing out light scratches, cleaning the interior, or fixing a blown bulb - can significantly improve the "first impression" and potentially add £200–£500 to a valuation. However, avoid spending thousands on major mechanical repairs just before selling, as you rarely recoup the full cost.
Do optional extras like leather seats or a sunroof add value?
While extras like premium sound systems, leather interiors and panoramic sunroofs make a car easier to sell, they rarely add significant "cash value" to an older car. The most valuable "extras" in 2026 are advanced safety tech (like adaptive cruise control) and high-efficiency hybrid systems.
How does the "March and September" plate change affect my valuation?
Valuations often soften slightly in March and September. This is because a flood of part-exchanges enters the market as people buy "new-plate" cars, increasing supply. If you want the absolute highest price, it is often better to sell in February or August before the market becomes saturated.
