A STRONG retail market for secondhand cars in the first quarter of this year has seen a rise in used values.

Particularly strong performers are superminis, where there has been an average 5.7% increase, with the Nissan Micra 1.4 petrol and both diesel and petrol variants of the Vauxhall Corsa doing especially well.

Four-wheel drive vehicles are showing the lowest trade price growths.

According to CAP: ‘Despite claims that taxation, anti-congestion measures and growing media hostility towards the ‘toff-roader’ image are taking a toll on values, in reality large four-wheel-drive cars have become a victim of their own success.

‘With the massive increase in registrations and a plethora of new models in recent times, supply has increased ahead of demand in the used market.’

And the usual Springtime surge in convertible car values has yet to have happened. CAP experts suggest that like the 4x4s it is the success of the sector, rather than any specific negative factor, which is leading to values levelling off.