The Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA), in partnership with AutoGrab, has released the December 2025 Automotive Insights Report (AIR), providing a national snapshot of used car sales and listings.
The latest figures show further softening in the used car market to close out the year, with December recording the lowest monthly sales result since January 2025, alongside the lowest level of active listings for the year. At the same time, vehicles are taking longer to sell, reinforcing the gradual cooling that has emerged over recent months.
National used car sales fell to 171,837 vehicles, down 11.1 per cent from November, while total active listings declined 1.7 per cent to 308,315, marking the lowest listing volume recorded in 2025.
“December capped off a year where momentum in the used car market steadily eased, with listings falling to their lowest point of 2025,” said AADA CEO James Voortman.
“Longer days to sell are now a clear trend, reflecting more price sensitivity among buyers and a more balanced market environment compared to the heightened conditions of recent years,” he said.
Despite the overall slowdown, alternative powertrains continued to gain ground. Hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles all increased their share of the used car market compared to December 2024, highlighting ongoing consumer interest in lower-emission options, even as total sales volumes declined.
Key insights from the December 2025 AIR include:
- Sales decrease: National used car sales fell to 171,837 vehicles, the lowest monthly result since January 2025.
- Listings tighten: Total listings for the month declined to 308,315, the lowest level recorded since August 2024.
- Slower turnover: Average days to sell rose to 47.0 days, increasing for the third month in a row.
- Broad-based decline: Sales eased across all states and major vehicle segments, consistent with a softer end-of-year market.
View the full December 2025 AIR below.
The AADA and AutoGrab will release the ‘2025 Year That Was’ Automotive Insights Report in the coming weeks, providing a comprehensive overview of used car market trends across the full calendar year.