IRVINE, Calif. -

Used-vehicle prices have been rather static to kick off 2012, but don’t expect that to continue.

According to Kelley Blue Book, the first quarter will likely see used values jump between 3 percent and 5 percent and then continue to accelerate into the second quarter. What’s more, KBB projects that used prices might even eclipse the all-time highs from last year.

The firm explained that while overall used values have been flat during the year’s first two weeks, the prices in several segments have gotten a surprising head start and begun climbing.

For instance, the spike in non-luxury car and crossover values in the past week was between $50 and $100. Those gains are only expected to continue, KBB said.

“A lull in lease returns and an aging fleet of vehicles on the road are expected to keep prices high through most of this year; potentially higher than the record levels established in 2011,” officials noted.

Sharing more examples, KBB pointed out the week-over-week gains in trade-in values for the following segments:

Midsize cars: Up 0.9 percent ($107)
Hybrid cars: Up 0.6 percent ($86)
Full-size cars: Up 0.5 percent ($85)
Compact crossovers: Up 0.5 percent ($78)
Compact cars: Up 0.6 percent ($61)

“Consumers eyeing one of the many highly acclaimed redesigned 2011 model-year vehicles for their next used car should be prepared to pay a significant premium,” explained Alec Gutierrez, KBB’s senior market analyst of automotive insights.

“For example, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and Kia Optima currently maintain a premium higher than 40 percent versus the 2010 model-year counterpart, significantly outperforming the Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla, which weren’t redesigned for model-year 2011,” he added.