by Stephen Rivers
- Used car prices rose 5% to $31,067 as sales pace hit an 8-year low.
- EVs led the pack as the fastest sellers, averaging 34 days to turn.
- Over half of the 19 quickest-selling used models were EV or hybrid.
The used-car market was absolutely red hot for a few years after 2019, driven by pandemic-related shortages that sent prices soaring across the board. It dipped in 2023 and has steadily been gaining momentum, with both demand and average transaction prices (ATP) creeping upward ever since.
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Now, the third quarter of 2025 has seen a slight shift. As prices continue to increase, buyers are taking their time more than in recent history. In another strange turn, EVs are now rolling off dealer lots faster than internal-combustion models.
According to data collected by Edmunds, the average three-year-old car spent 41 days on dealer lots in the third quarter. That’s up from 37 days last year, marking the slowest “days-to-turn” pace since 2017.
Why the Slowdown?
The most likely reason is the ongoing rise in transaction prices. The average price for a three-year-old car reached $31,067 in Q3 2025, a five percent increase from $29,578 a year ago, and nearly $10,000 higher than in 2017, when comparable used models hovered around $21,000.
That price climb means buyers are weighing their options more carefully, comparing used models to new ones that often include incentives and warranties. The last time that used cars carried an ATP of over $30,000 was 2022, when pandemic-era shortages drove demand through the roof.
Now that supply shortages have mostly faded into memory, shoppers seem more inclined to pause and weigh their choices before finally deciding to buy.
What’s Selling Fastest?
Not every aspect of the market is cooling, though. EVs have quietly become the fastest-selling segment of the used market. They’re averaging just 34 days on the lot.
Hybrids take 40 days, diesels take 41, and gas vehicles take 43. Plug-in hybrids actually take the longest at 47 days before a sale. No doubt, lower mileage and attractive pricing play a role here.
EV Momentum
Used EVs sold during Q3 averaged 35,661 miles and a transaction price of $29,911. Nearly two-thirds of all three-year-old EVs were priced within the $20,000 and $30,000 range. Across the rest of the used-car market, only 42 percent fall between those two prices.
EVs in that range also tend to show less wear since roughly 66 percent have fewer than 40,000 miles on the odometer. Essentially, EVs are providing the best value in the used market at the moment. At the same time, they make up just 1.6 percent of total used inventory.
Despite limited availability of 2022 EV models, they still represented eight of the 19 fastest-selling three-year-old vehicles, reflecting growing shopper interest even as demand for new ones cools. The deals are out there; they just might be hard to find.
EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Volkswagen ID.4, and Ford Mustang Mach-E offer substantial savings compared with their original sticker prices, often undercutting new examples by more than $25,000. On the flip side, ICE cars such as the Toyota GR Supra and Lexus NX 350h have held their value surprisingly well