The hottest used cars right now
We uncover the models with soaring prices in what is already a booming used-car marketAn iconic high-performance Aussie muscle car that finished production three years ago and two 4x4 wagons known for their old-school simplicity, durability and off-road prowess are leading the general rise in used-car prices, according to the latest carsales data.
If you thought buying one of the last Australian-built, Holden Commodore-based Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) models would make a good investment back in 2017, you were right.
Our latest figures show that HSV models made up eight of the top 10 vehicles advertised on carsales with the biggest median increase year-on-year, but the 2017 HSV GTSR ruled the roost with the largest price boost.
Comparing the median asking price on carsales in September 2019 to the price in September 2020, the 2017 HSV GTSR rose by $51,990 (+44.1%) – from $118,000 to $169,990.
The HSV GTSR’s prices were already on the rise last year, but not to the level seen in the past 12 months.
The HSV GTSR was priced from $109,490 for the manual sedan at launch in February 2017, making for an $8510 (+7.2%) price increase from launch 2017 to September 2019.
While its price increased the most, the HSV GTSR isn’t the most expensive of the 2017 Holden Commodore-based HSVs for sale today.
That record belongs to the 2017 HSV GTSR W1 which, with its 474kW and $169,900 price, was touted as Australia’s most expensive and most powerful car ever at launch three years ago.
Currently there are five used GTSR W1s for sale on carsales, priced from $240,000 to $300,000.
This is brand-new supercar money; for example, a new Porsche 911 3.0 Carrera starts at $236,300 (plus on-road costs).
Given that overseas travel is off the menu at the moment, it’s also no surprise that Aussie buyers are turning their eye to tough 4WDs to head bush.
Used 4x4 wagons are experiencing a strong increase in values, especially iconic Nissan and Toyota models.
The 2006 Nissan Patrol ST had the highest non-HSV price rise between 2019 and 2020.
While still short of its new price 14 years ago (from $52,890), the 2006 Nissan Patrol ST has experienced a $15,510 boost to its median used asking price, from $22,990 to $38,500 (+67.5%).
The 2005 model has seen a similar rise, going from $18,599 to $32,000 – an increase of $13,401 or 72.1 per cent.
The Toyota LandCruiser, the current number-one searched-for model on carsales (see list below), has also seen a big jump in prices.
For example, the venerable 1994 Toyota LandCruiser GXL 80 Series has doubled in price year-on-year, from $11,000 in 2019 to $22,000 in 2020.
When new in 1994, the LandCruiser GXL prices started at $50,310.
Carsales extracted the data on vehicles advertised in September 2019 and compared them with those advertised in September this year.
While an asking price is not a solid representation of values when seen in isolation, when collated from figures a year apart and averaged, they provide a good indication of how the market is trending.
While LandCruiser and Patrol prices are showing particularly sharp rises, they reflect the strong interest the market has with used 4WD wagons and utes generally.
Such vehicles make up five of the top 10 searched used models on carsales, as seen below:
The most searched top 10 used cars on carsales (September 2020)
1. Toyota LandCruiser
2. Toyota HiLux
3. Ford Ranger
4. Holden Commodore
5. Toyota LandCruiser Prado
6. Toyota Corolla
7. Volkswagen Golf
8. Mercedes-Benz C-Class
9. Mazda3
10. Mitsubishi Triton
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