What Is My Car Worth Right Now? Check Its Value Today

If you've typed 'what is my car worth right now' into a search bar, you already know the honest answer isn't a single fixed figure. Used car prices move month by month, and a car that was worth £9,000 in January could be worth noticeably more or less by the summer, depending on demand, condition and what's happening in the wider market. The good news is you don't need to guess. Enter your number plate into our reg lookup tool and you'll get a free, instant market valuation alongside the car's MOT history, DVLA details and any outstanding safety recalls, in one go.

Before you rely on any number, though, it helps to understand what's actually driving it. Here's a proper look at what decides a car's value today, why the market has been moving the way it has, and how to get the most accurate read on your own vehicle.

What Actually Decides Your Car's Value Right Now

A valuation isn't plucked from thin air. It's built from real transaction and listing data for similar cars, then adjusted for the specifics of yours. The main factors are:

Age and mileage

Depreciation is steepest in the first few years, then it flattens out. Two cars of the same age can be worth very different amounts depending on how many miles they've covered, which is one reason the mileage recorded on a car's most recent MOT test is worth checking against the odometer before you buy or sell.

Condition and MOT history

A car with a clean run of MOT passes and no nasty advisories is worth more than an identical model with a history of failures or repeated warnings about corrosion, brakes or suspension. Dents, worn interiors and patchy paintwork all knock money off, even if the car drives perfectly well.

Spec, colour and demand

Popular colours (white, grey, black) tend to sell faster and hold value better than bold or unusual shades. Higher trim levels, desirable options like a tow bar or upgraded infotainment, and a full service history all nudge the number upward. Local demand matters too: a small, economical car might be worth more in a city than in a rural area where buyers want something bigger.

Why Used Car Values Keep Moving in 2026

Used car prices rose 1.8% month-on-month to £17,397 in April, the strongest monthly increase since November 2021, according to Autotrader's Retail Price Index. Within that headline figure, the picture varies sharply by fuel type and age. Used EV prices rose 3% month-on-month to £23,555, outperforming the wider market, while used petrol and diesel prices softened over the same period. Meanwhile, older cars have been the standout performers, with the 10 to 15-year-old bracket seeing the fastest price growth of any age group.

That split matters if you're trying to answer 'what is my car worth right now', because a single national average tells you almost nothing about your specific car. An older petrol hatchback and a three-year-old EV are moving in different directions for different reasons, and only a vehicle-specific check will give you a realistic figure.

These figures come from Autotrader's own market-wide data and will keep shifting as fuel prices, EV supply and buyer demand change through the year. For a figure tied to your actual car rather than a national average, run a fresh valuation whenever you need one, since even small movements in mileage, condition or the wider market can shift the number.

How to Find Out What Your Car Is Worth Right Now

The quickest, most reliable way to get a current figure is to run your registration through a proper valuation tool rather than eyeballing a few classified ads and averaging them in your head. Our free reg lookup tool pulls together the car's full MOT history, including every test result plus advisories and failure reasons, its DVLA vehicle details, any outstanding safety recalls, and a free market valuation, all from just the number plate.

It's worth remembering that any valuation, ours included, is a guide rather than a guarantee. The figure you get gives you a sensible starting point for negotiation, a part-exchange conversation, or simply satisfying your own curiosity, but the actual price you achieve will depend on the specific condition of your car, how well it's presented, and what buyers in your area are prepared to pay on the day. It should never be treated as a fixed offer, and it isn't a figure to rely on for insurance claims or settlement negotiations, where the insurer will assess the car on its own terms.

Getting the Full Picture Before You Buy or Sell

A market valuation tells you roughly what a car is worth, but it doesn't tell you everything you'd want to know before handing over money or signing on the dotted line. If you're buying, or thinking about selling and want to know what a buyer might ask, a deeper look at the car's background matters just as much as the price.

Our paid vehicle history check, with data provided by Experian, goes further than the free check by revealing whether the car is recorded as stolen, has been marked as an insurance write-off, is carrying outstanding finance, how many previous keepers it's had, and whether it's been imported, exported or scrapped. It also checks the vehicle's identity and VIN details and flags any plate or colour changes. Any one of these can materially affect what a car is genuinely worth, so it's worth running before you commit to a purchase or agree a sale price.

What the free check won't tell you

• It won't show a mileage history, since no UK database tracks odometer readings over time; the only genuine mileage figures are the ones recorded at each individual MOT test.
• It shows the car's current tax status only. Road tax doesn't transfer when a car changes hands, so it isn't something a buyer needs to weigh up when judging value.
• It won't confirm finance, write-off or stolen status, which is what the paid check is for.

Selling or Part-Exchanging? What Affects the Price You Get

Timing and presentation

A clean, well-photographed private sale advert with a recent service record and a fresh MOT will consistently attract stronger offers than a scruffy listing with no history behind it. Small things, a valeted interior, a topped-up screenwash, tyres with decent tread, all help a buyer feel confident paying closer to the top of the range.

Private sale versus dealer trade-in

Selling privately usually nets more money but takes longer and involves more hassle. A dealer part-exchange or trade-in is quicker and less effort, but the price offered will typically sit below a private sale figure to allow the dealer margin for resale. Neither route is wrong, it depends on how much your time is worth against the extra money.

Being upfront about the car's history

Buyers increasingly run their own checks before they hand over a deposit. If your car has any advisories, a repair history or a previous keeper change that might raise questions, it's better to know that yourself and be ready to explain it than to be caught out during a viewing.

Thinking About Your Next Car?

If working out your current car's value is part of planning a change, it's worth knowing your options for funding whatever comes next. MotifyMe can introduce you to car finance providers if that's something you want to explore, with any lending subject to status and affordability. You can find out more on our car finance page. For more on buying, selling and looking after a car, our guides section covers the ground in more detail.

The Bottom Line

There's no getting away from it: 'what is my car worth right now' only has a useful answer if you check right now, using your actual registration rather than a rough guess or an out-of-date figure someone quoted you last year. Run your plate, look at the MOT history and any advisories, and treat the valuation as a solid guide rather than gospel. If you're buying rather than selling, pair that valuation with a proper history check before you hand over any money, it's a small step that can save a genuinely large headache later on.