Auto Trader was the UK’s ninth most popular publication over the course of 2009, according to Audit Bureau of Circulation figures, with 147,000 copies sold every week – giving it a monthly reach of over 500,000.

It was also the number two best-selling magazine title on garage forecourts around the UK – second only to OK! magazine.

Kevin Petley, Auto Trader's UK publishing director, said: “The latest ABC figures show that the decrease in circulation which we saw at the start of the recession has slowed down by almost 10%, showing that people are starting to return to the car buying market. "