TL;DR: The Nissan Qashqai has been identified as the UK's most clocked car, with recent data showing almost 10% have had their mileage illegally altered. This widespread used car odometer fraud in the UK sees scammers wiping tens of thousands of miles off popular models, with the Land Rover Defender seeing the largest average rollback.
A stark warning has been issued to British used car buyers as new data reveals the shocking scale of odometer fraud. A recent investigation has crowned the popular Nissan Qashqai as the most clocked car in 2025, with a significant number of vehicles on the market showing signs of a tampered mileage reading.
The latest figures from carVertical, a vehicle history check company, are eye-opening. Their analysis found that a staggering 9.7%, or nearly one in every ten, of Nissan Qashqais checked had their odometers rolled back. This widespread Nissan Qashqai mileage clocking makes Britain's best-selling crossover a high-risk purchase on the second-hand market.
The top 20 car makes and models with the highest percentage of cars clocked in 2025
But wait, the story gets even more concerning. While the Qashqai is the most frequent victim, it isn't the worst offender for the sheer number of miles being hidden. That dubious honour goes to the iconic Land Rover Defender. The data shows clear evidence of Land Rover Defender mileage fraud, with scammers wiping an average of 59,201 miles from the clock. Can you imagine paying a premium for a 'low-mileage' Defender only to discover it has travelled a distance equivalent to circling the globe more than twice?
This isn't a problem isolated to one or two models; it's a trend targeting the most desirable cars. The latest mileage rollback statistics in the UK show that SUVs are a primary target for fraudsters. The Volvo XC60 and XC90 are also heavily affected, with 8.4% and 7.2% of checked models showing discrepancies, respectively. Even luxury saloons like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class are not immune, often having over 40,000 miles vanish before being listed for sale.
So, why is the Qashqai such a magnet for this type of crime?
It appears to be a victim of its own incredible success. Matas Buzelis, an automotive expert at carVertical, explains that the consistently high demand for the model creates fertile ground for scammers.
“When a model is popular and widely available, buyers may feel pressure to act fast, which can reduce the amount of scrutiny carried out. In those conditions, clocking can slip through unnoticed unless the right checks are in place," Buzelis notes.
How to spot a clocked car
The first step is to never blindly trust the digital display on the dashboard. You must perform your own checks. A crucial resource is Regit's free MOT history checker. Look for any strange mileage patterns, such as big drops or years where the mileage barely changed, which can be a red flag for used car odometer fraud in the UK.
You should also use your own eyes to look for 'real-world' wear and tear. If a car is advertised with only 20,000 miles but has a shiny, worn steering wheel, a sagging driver's seat bolster, or worn pedal rubbers, something isn't right. These physical clues often tell a more honest story than the odometer itself.