Used premium SUV margins hit three-month high of £5,250

£5,250 - the retail margin Dealer Auction recorded on the Range Rover Evoque in its over-£10,000 chart, the highest figure in that category and part of a third straight month of record margins across the platform. For anyone buying used stock to fill demonstrator or grey fleet gaps, it suggests cheap buy-ins are getting harder to find. (Dealer Auction)

Land Rover took top spot in both the sub-£10,000 and over-£10,000 brand charts, with the Evoque also setting a category record of £4,050 under £10,000 and the Discovery Sport just £100 behind it. Mercedes-Benz logged its third consecutive runner-up finish. Elsewhere the Mazda CX-5 posted the best Autotrader retail rating and CAP Clean score of the year, selling in an average 24 days, while the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan Qashqai both made the over-£10,000 top 10, a decent showing for hybrids in a chart dominated by premium SUVs. Total retail value moved through the platform in July hit £49.7 million. (Dealer Auction)

Why this matters: Strong, persistent margins on premium SUVs and hybrids point to firmer residual values for fleets running those models - useful ammunition when negotiating lease rates or defending RVs at defleet. But it also means part-exchange and disposal channels are getting more competitive; don't assume your usual remarketing route still gets you the best price.