According to BuyaCar, diesel sales rose from 30% of all sales in the summer to 38% in October and November.
This is despite significantly higher availability of petrol cars compared with diesel models. The trend has emerged even as the explosion of interest in BEVs dominates the headlines, with more people than ever before searching specifically for EVs.
BuyaCar analysts suggest that brand image may be a contributing factor because Mercedes dominates the diesel choices of buyers on the site, whereas the likes of Vauxhall and Ford have the edge among petrol models, pushing Mercedes into sixth place.
Although EV prices are often cited as a barrier to adoption, it's notable that BuyaCar customers are choosing diesel cars that are typically more expensive than EVs bought on the site. And the diesels they choose also tend to have higher mileage than the cars of other fuel types bought on BuyaCar.
Christofer Lloyd, editor, said: "The strength of diesel sales may seem surprising at a time when all the headlines are about the rise and rise of electric cars. Even more unexpected is the fact that although EVs tend to have a reputation for being more expensive than cars with an internal combustion engine, our customers are spending more, on average, when they buy diesel than electric."