The news comes after Auto Trader saw a revenue increase of 5% and a 9% boost in pre-tax profit for the financial year ending March 2025 (FY2025).

Auto Trader also confirmed in its annual statement that it would offer its Deal Builder pay-per-lead service to all dealers as part of its advertising package.

“We never put through a price rise without delivering value”

Speaking to CarDealerMagazine.co.uk, Catherine Faiers, Auto Trader’s chief operating officer, defended the price rise: “If we keep investing, keep innovating, keep driving product growth, then it’s right for us to capture the value we’re delivering.”

“We never put through a price rise without delivering value, whether that value be through more buyers, more engagement, more audience on our platform, or through the data, the products, the technology.”

Average revenue per retailer rose 5% year on year (y-o-y) to £2,854 ($3,855 U.S.) in FY2025, while average live stock increased by 1% to 449,000 cars, driven by increased private listings.

In FY2025, the average number of dealers advertising on Auto Trader increased by 2% y-o-y to 14,013, and it expects growth of 5-7% in FY2026.

Auto Trader said in a statement: “The acceleration seen last financial year was largely driven by a fall in used car prices which have steadily increased throughout the second half of the year as retailers have sought more normalised margins.”

Renault U.K.’s used car dealerships will use Phyron’s AI software to automatically generate video content for vehicle listings.

Phyron’s AI video solution allows dealerships to create professional video content using existing vehicle images and specifications. The process is entirely automated, with no manual editing required. Phyron says its scalable technology ensures consistency and quality.

By integrating Phyron’s technology, Renault U.K. hopes to improve the customer experience, increase engagement and boost online vehicle sales.

Matthew Heffy, national used car, residual value and direct supply manager at Renew, said: “With consumers increasingly turning to online platforms for vehicle research and purchases, Renew’s adoption of Phyron’s AI software ensures consistency in our imagery in line with the brand look and feel.”

“By providing customers with immersive, automated video content, Renault U.K. is set to redefine how our approved used vehicles are marketed and sold online”.

Johan Sundstrand, CEO and co-founder of Phyron, commented: “This partnership with Renault U.K. represents a major milestone in our mission to revolutionise automotive retail. Our AI-powered videos have already transformed how dealers engage with customers online, and we’re excited to help Renault U.K. elevate its digital presence, drive sales and enhance the customer journey.”

Phyron says it is working with 4,000 dealers across Europe and maintains that dealers using its AI-powered videos have seen a 24% year-on-year increase in vehicle sales and an 80-90% decrease in content production costs.

Last year, Sundstrand told the AIM Group that Phyron can create automotive video for “less than the price of a cup of coffee.”

Cazoo will be the flagship marketplace in Motors’ portfolio, which also includes Motors.co.uk, eBay Motors, Gumtree Motors and Parkers.

From launch, dealers with multisite advertising packages will be listed on Cazoo at no extra charge, giving buyers access to stock from more than 5,000 used-car retailers.

Motors said the relaunch would be followed by a program of continuous website and app enhancements, as well as new features and tools, in the coming months. It will also invest in marketing to help grow the brand.

“The average person visits at least four websites on their car-buying journey. With Cazoo as the flagship brand in the Motors network, we can leverage its strong consumer recognition and high awareness to supercharge our entire marketplace strategy,” said Motors’ CEO Barry Judge.

Speaking to CarDealerMagazine, Judge added: “This is a fresh start. Cazoo has been rebuilt for dealers. The brand name remains, but everything else has changed.”

“The old Cazoo was a retailer. The new Cazoo is a marketplace, designed to generate leads and help dealers sell more cars. And we’re backing it up with serious, sustainable investment in cutting-edge technology, marketing and consumer reach.”

Motors bought the Cazoo brand after the digital auto retailer entered administration in May last year.

While the failure of Cazoo is well known in the industry, it still has considerable brand cache among consumers, thanks to television advertising and high-profile sports sponsorships.

Its relaunch as a used-car marketplace follows the launch of the Cazoo mobile app in July last year. It has been downloaded 400,000 times to date.

Judge added: “This is a new start for the Cazoo brand, which is now a dedicated marketplace. For the first time, there is a real challenger brand in the sector giving dealers more choice and a credible alternative for their vehicle advertising.”

“Cazoo is one of the most recognised automotive brands by consumers in the U.K., which is why we wanted it in our portfolio. We are turning it into a car buying destination of choice and a powerful advertising platform for our dealer partners.”

Motors will be hoping to challenge the dominance of Auto Trader, the largest automotive marketplace in the U.K.

“This is a significant step in Motors’ long-term vision to challenge the market leader and establish a true alternative for dealers, built on value and partnership. By accelerating lead generation and dealer growth, we will create a stronger, more competitive advertising platform for dealers,” Judge added.

U.K.-based leasing-comparison website Leasing.com has promoted Mike Fazal to CEO.

He replaces founder Dave Timmis, who has stepped down after 25 years. Timmis will continue to be involved in strategic direction and long-term planning but will step back from day-to-day operations.

Fazal, previously COO at the company, has a strong automotive background, having co-founded Karzoom, a car subscription solution for dealers in the U.K. Prior to that, he worked at auto-focused SaaS provider ASE Global for more than a decade, rising to the position of CCO.

As the AIM Group reported last year, Fazal’s appointment comes at a time when the leasing industry is going through a transition, with leasing losing popularity, business models diversifying and auto marketplaces a growing presence.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have built over the past 25 years,” said Timmis.

“With Mike’s leadership, Leasing.com is well-positioned to drive further innovation and success. I look forward to supporting the business in my new capacity as we continue to shape the future of car leasing.”

Fazal commented: “It’s an honour to take on the position of CEO at such a pivotal time for Leasing.com. I am excited to lead this talented team and build on the strong foundations laid by Dave. Together, we will continue to evolve and deliver exceptional value to our users and partners.”

The site in Derby is its seventh store in the U.K., alongside Birmingham, Bristol, Corby, Gatwick, Maidstone and Manchester.

The retail stores are part of Cinch’s hybrid strategy, which blends the convenience of a digital experience with the ability to see, test drive and buy a car in person. The sites are open seven days a week.

A Cinch spokesperson called the move “a faff-free experience” for buying used cars. All cars come with a 14-day money-back guarantee, and customers can either collect the car from the store or have it delivered.

“Whether you visit the store or not, our prices are fixed – no haggling, no faff,” the spokesperson said.

“Thousands of drivers across the UK have bought from us already using our fully online sales model, and now we’re looking forward to meeting some of those existing customers in person and welcoming new customers through our doors for the first time,” said Robert Bridge, Cinch’s chief customer officer.

Cinch is part of Constellation Automotive Group and opened its first physical showroom last year on the site of a former Cazoo store in Northampton.

Last year, AIM Group reported how auto digital retail is evolving to a more blended physical and digital journey, where buyers can browse and buy online, but still enjoy some of the hands-on aspects of buying a car.

As well as launching an updated version of its app, it has released a new AI-powered search bar that allows buyers to find cars faster using just a few keywords, increasing exposure of dealers’ listings by connecting them instantly to relevant adverts.

As part of the app development, HeyCar also released a new notification function that instantly alerts buyers when a new car is listed that matches their search criteria.

The app has also been updated to include HeyCar’s “Buy Online” service, which has so far only been available on the mobile and desktop website. Buyers can also call and email dealers directly from the app, and receive promotions and offers.

Dermot Kelleher, chief marketing officer at HeyCar, said: “More and more people are both researching and buying used cars on mobile devices, which is why we’ve updated and enhanced our app.

“It offers buyers a simple, streamlined online experience, to help them access thousands of quality vehicles offered by our dealer partners any time, anywhere.

“We’ve also harnessed AI to make HeyCar’s search even faster and more intuitive. For consumers, this means less time searching and more time engaging with the right cars for them and for dealers, it means highly qualified buyers reaching their listings quicker than ever.”

The integration of AI tools is gaining traction with automotive marketplaces. Auto Trader, the U.K.’s largest automotive marketplace recently launched new AI features that allow dealers to create better, more engaging adverts, while Sweden-based Phyron is using AI technology to create photo and video for auto marketplaces.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but dealer partners can now pay a fixed monthly fee to retail cars on Carwow’s platform.

Carwow says the move is in response to calls from dealers for “clear, predictable pricing”, and says its new subscription model gives traders a cost-effective way to reach car buyers with “high levels of purchase intent”.

The brand believes the new service comes at a time of rapid growth. Carwow’s search data reveals that used car views were up 103% year-on-year during the first three weeks of January. Used car enquiries sent to dealers increased by 20% during the same period.

Dealers advertising on Carwow will also have their cars featured on consumer automotive website Auto Express. Carwow claims this gives dealers a combined reach of seven million unique users a month.

In 2024, Carwow bought Auto Express, Carbuyer, Driving Electric, evo and Driver Power.

John Veichmanis, Carwow chief executive officer, said: “Nine million people change their car every year in the UK, and we are the starting point for so many of them. Whether it’s our YouTube channel, Carwow, Auto Express or any of our other brands, we are the trusted place where people start researching and finding their next car.

“We’ve received extremely positive feedback from dealers trialling the subscription model, confirming that we are helping them reach new customers and drive incremental sales, while being a competitively priced alternative to other marketplaces.

“With plenty of developments still to come, we’re excited to partner with more dealers to help increase their used car sales volumes and really innovate to shake up the used car market.”

The marketplace says the move will make the process of buying high-quality cars from consumers easier, improve cash flow and accelerate dealer growth.

The partnership enables dealers to secure up to 100% of the cost of a vehicle directly from their Motorway account at the point of purchase. Motorway says the funding is integrated with its existing payment process, allowing dealers to acquire vehicles with one click, with no upfront capital required.

Motorway COO James Wilson said: “Our platform is all about simplifying the often complicated and time-consuming process of acquiring high-quality stock. Be it hassle-free transport with Motorway Move or peace of mind mechanical insurance cover with Motorway Protect, we’ve always sought to support dealers in growing their businesses.”

“With this partnership and the funding it will enable dealers to access, we’re taking it a step further by addressing the financial barriers many face when acquiring the stock they need.”

Darren Mornin, managing director of NextGear Capital, added: “As we know securing a reliable, sustainable supply of vehicles remains a top priority for dealers, and we are committed to expanding our auction network in support of this. Partnering with Motorway unlocks a whole new opportunity for our customers to fund purchases from a wider pool of vehicles than ever before.”

Customers will be able to order a report directly from the classifieds on Motors.co.uk.

Digital mechanic platform ClickMechanic will carry out the survey, which features a 185-point inspection and test drive, and costs £79 ($96 U.S.). Inspections can be arranged for the same or next day, and the report will be emailed to the buyer immediately.

Motors.co.uk hopes the initiative will enable dealers to sell cars further afield by giving customers peace of mind with remote selling.

Lucy Tugby, marketing director of Motors, said: “Transparency is a key element of any used car sale and we believe offering ClickMechanic inspections will resonate with buyers, giving them the assurance they need to complete their purchases.

“These pre-purchase inspections should enable independent dealers to engage even better with buyers who have found cars online and want extra confidence in the purchase; particularly those who do not live close enough to view or test drive them.”

Andrew Jervis, co-founder and CEO of ClickMechanic, added: “Providing quick access to professional vehicle inspections is an exciting first for the UK automotive marketplace industry and we’re thrilled to be partnering with Motors to bring this new level of service and transparency for car buyers.

“These pre-purchase inspections should enable independent dealers to engage even better with buyers who have found cars online and want extra confidence in the purchase; particularly those who do not live close enough to view or test drive them.”