Thursday, January 18th will be the busiest day of the year for people searching for their next new car, according to Carzone. The used and new vehicles sales website says that its analysis shows that: "based on yearly data and website traffic, suggests that this is the peak time for new car purchases."
Biggest day for online searching too
It's also, apparently, the day on which most of us make our final decisions and online searches for a new car. "This prediction is rooted in a study of search activity over several years and includes insights from Carzone's website and app traffic", says Carzone, noting that the 18th is very close to the long-awaited January payday, which may play into the decision-making process for many.
Hyundai Kona the most popular
Carzone has also given us some insight into the new car models that people are actually looking for, which might give us some indication of how the sales charts will start to pan out this year. "So far in 2024, the Hyundai Kona has emerged as the top searched 241 electric car on Carzone, closely followed by the Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-Tron. The most searched model overall was the Volkswagen Golf, with the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson following," says Carzone. "Searches for electric vehicles have overtaken searches for petrol models for the year so far, with diesel still the most popular filter when it comes to specifying a fuel type. Meanwhile, the SUV is still the most searched vehicle body type in 2024, followed by the hatchback and saloon. "
Volkswagen on top of the brands charts
When it comes to brands, Carzone says that the most-searched-for marques are Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Hyundai.
Sinead McCann of Carzone observes that the inclination towards new vehicles is on the rise, with many utilising the festive period to research and decide on their future cars, noting: "In today's market, consumers increasingly want to make well-informed decisions regarding their next vehicle. This trend, coupled with the desire for a fresh start in the new year, makes January a particularly busy month for car purchases. Carzone takes pride in being the go-to resource for impartial advice and information on vehicles. We are confident that our platform offers the best selection and deals, catering to all types of car seekers."