LCV sales expected to pick up sharply with most values down around 2% – My Car Check

My Car Check Trade added its analysis of the light commercial vehicle market to its car market forecast. Gavin Amos said: “As the country gets back to work after the festive period, LCV sales are expected to pick up sharply over the next few weeks. The weather will play a part but it shouldn’t be long before sales are back to where they were at the start of November. In terms of values, we have eased most back by around 2 per cent this month.

“In the panel van sector, the Volkswagen Transporter remains the dominant player with retail demand as strong as ever. Others such as the Transit Custom are also sought after. It is interesting to witness the growth in small concern converters as more people look to turn panel vans into do-it-all vehicles.

“In the small van sector, specification and a side load door are key for retail buyers, so bog-standard Citroen Nemo, Peugeot Bipper and Fiat Fiorino values are falling.

“The 4×4 market is in full swing at this time of year. While prime stock is not widely available, trade buyers remain picky about condition and specification. Basic hard-worked double cabs are markedly less desirable. Amarok continues to be a firm favourite although it will soon face fresh competition, particularly from the long-awaited Nissan NP300.

“What Van recently named the Mitsubishi L200 pick up its LCV of the year – an interesting selection as there will be a number of new players entering the market this year, as well as some excellent updates to existing models. It is certainly going to become a more complex sector in terms of decision making as all manufacturers have upped their game. Other notable awards included the Vauxhall Vivaro as used van of the year, which few can really argue with, while the iconic Ford Transit was lauded for 50 years of continued production.”