Yours has partnered with Parkers – the definitive resource for car buying advice in the UK – to bring you the award for the Best Used Car in its Parkers New Car Awards 2025. And the winner revealed today (21 October) is the 2012-2019 BMW 3 Series – one of a total of 10 award-winning cars announced by Parkers. The 3 Series’ combination of reliability, driving dynamics, huge choice and prestige beats all-comers.
The BMW wins against very capable used alternatives, but it takes the award because even with the backdrop of the cost-of-living concerns people have, the 3 Series is becoming increasingly affordable. Crucially, it’s available with a number of super-economical options as well as the tax-efficient 330e plug-in hybrid.
Parkers car buying editor Ryan Gilmore says: “What’s so endearing about the 2012-2019 3 Series is the spectrum of cars to choose from. If you want a sensible used car, opt for a frugal 320d and enjoy years of trouble-free motoring. For a more spirited drive, the M3 is all the car you could ever need. And the beauty of this 3 Series is that there’ll be a model to suit your budget and needs within its lineup.”
It finishes ahead of the previous-generation Octavia, which remains a solid, reliable, packed with a decent amount of kit, and continues to offer unrivalled practicality and interior room for the money. The Kia e-Niro is the first electric car (EV) to make the Parkers list, with Ryan adding: “It represents exceptional value used. Best of all, all examples will still be covered under Kia’s generous seven-year warranty, so long as it’s been regularly serviced.”
The winning car has been tested rigorously by the Parkers.co.uk team and is one of the most searched-for cars on the site’s Cars for Sale section. Best used cars are rated on a combination of value, ease of service, parts prices, quality, and – of course – reliability and fitness for purpose.
"We’re not just about used motors – this is the New Car Awards after all! But in today’s financial climate where everyone is supremely keen on value for money, the state of the secondhand car market is hugely important. Right now, it’s in rude health, with prices falling and cars getting better all the time,” Keith Adams, Parkers editor added.
Now in its eighth year, the Parkers New Car Awards 2025 reflects the constantly-evolving views of Britain's car-buying public, with winners decided by a combination of the site's expert reviewers' verdicts in thousands of miles of road testing and the purchasing habits of the website's 2.3 million users actively involved in the buying process.
More details about the Best Used Car award can be found alongside all of the winners in the Parkers New Car Awards 2025 on the Parkers website.
