Car buyers searched for BMW 3 Series models more than any other car on Auto Trader in 2017.

The German saloon has retained the top spot for the seventh consecutive year, as premium models dominate the rankings.

Volkswagen's Golf came a close second, for the ninth consecutive year.

Premium manufacturers feature five times in the top-ten list, suggesting the nation is still keen on having an upmarket badge.

Auto Trader’s top ten most searched for cars in 2017

	Make	Model
1	BMW	3 Series
2	Volkswagen	Golf
3	Mercedes-Benz	C-Class
4	Ford	Focus
5	BMW	1 Series
6	BMW	5 Series
7	Ford	Fiesta
8	Audi	A3
9	Mercedes-Benz	E Class
10	Vauxhall	Astra

 

“These results show that British car buyers are very keen on spoiling themselves, with premium manufacturers featuring very heavily in our list of most searched-for cars,” said Ivan Aistrop, road test editor at Auto Trader.

When broken down by fuel type, the 3 Series was the most searched for diesel car, while the Golf tops the list for petrol.

Mainstream manufacturers dominate the petrol league table, suggesting a shift in the buying habits of small families.

“If you look at the list of most searched-for diesel cars, you’ll see it contains more premium products than for any other fuel type, suggesting that diesel cars are still desirable for buyers despite recent negative press coverage, added Aistrop.

The most searched for electric car in 2017 was the Nissan Leaf, followed by the BMW i3 and Mercedes-Benz B-Class. Toyota took the top two spots in the most searched for hybrid lists, with the Toyota Auris and Prius coming first and second respectively.