LAST year was the worst year that the used car industry has experienced in almost a decade, according to the latest data from global information services company Exper ian.Š

Used car sales fell by 5.7% during 2009 to 6,798,864 – the worst performance in the used car market since 2000, when 6,713,269 used cars were sold.

Ford and Vauxhall continue to own the lion’s share of used car sales.ŠThe best selling used car was the Ford Fiesta.Š

Second, was the Vauxhall Corsa with the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra taking third and fourth place respectively.Š

BMW was the only manufacturer to see a rise in sales across all used models for the year as a whole.

Kirk Fletcher, managing director for Experian Business Information and Automotive, says: “The recession and the scrappage scheme have had a big impact on the used car market.Š

Sales of used cars in the Mini segment, such as the Fiat Seicento and the Daewoo Matiz, saw the biggest drop in 2009 (9.1 per cent). As in 2008, the best selling segment was the Supermini, which includes the Ford Fiesta and the Vauxhall Corsa.