The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said 6.9 million vehicles changed hands in 2022 – only slightly more than the sum achieved in COVID-hit 2020.
The total was down from 7.5 million during the previous 12 months.
The SMMT blamed last year’s performance on weaker than normal sales of new cars due to the global semiconductor shortage which held back production to a 66-year low.