The compact BMW beat the Volkswagen Golf into second place, the family hatchback notching up 33.1 million searches throughout the year.
The Ford Focus meanwhile was third, with 23.1 million Auto Trader readers wanting to find a used example for sale. In fourth and fifth places were the Vauxhall Astra and Audi A4 with 21.7 and 20.1 million searches respectively.
The BMW’s popularity comes as no surprise, as its low running costs mean it’s often cheaper to run than rivals which cost less to buy, but may lose their re-sale value at a greater rate.
The 3 Series also packs plenty of cutting-edge technology to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, so it’s popular with company cars drivers as well as private buyers.
It also helps that there’s a wide range of 3 Series models available, with saloon, convertible, coupe and Touring (estate) variants all offered, each with great petrol or diesel engines.
The Volkswagen Golf’s second place comes as no surprise either, because while it isn’t necessarily class-leading in terms of fuel consumption or CO2 emissions, its running costs are reduced by the car’s ability to hold onto its value surprisingly well.
Auto Trader marketing director Matt Thompson said: “The BMW 3 Series has always been a favourite with UK motorists and with comparatively low running costs, I’m sure it will be a strong contender in 2011 as well. We expect running costs to be an increasingly important part of consumer purchasing decisions this year.â€Â
