Petrol remains the nation's preferred fuel grabbing a 55.7 per cent market share, up 9.7 per cent on last year. Diesel, by contrast, accounted for just 7.3 per cent of demand, down 2.7 per cent on last year.
Registrations of hybrid cars rose by 19.6 per cent but plug-in hybrids recorded the biggest step in growth, their registrations grew by more than a third on last year. Registrations of electric vehicles rose by 3.8 per cent – thanks to fleets – although this still accounted for a 1 per cent drop in market share compared to the same time last year.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Market growth continues, fuelled by fleets investing after two tough years of constrained supply. A sluggish private market and shrinking EV market share, however, show the challenge ahead. Manufacturers are providing compelling offers, but they can’t single-handedly fund the transition indefinitely. Government support for private consumers – not just business and fleets – would send a positive message and deliver a faster, fairer transition on time and on target.”
10. MG HS
Under Chinese ownership, MG is fast becoming a more competent car producer than the British company that bore it and the MG HS is possibly the best example of the turnaround. The HS clings to its budget-brand routes as a (very) cheap and cheerful SUV that will appeal to anyone looking for a new-car bargain. Its boxy shape means it's relatively practical on the inside and you'll find the cabin is kitted out with all the equipment you could expect for the price including a smartphone-mirroring infotainment screen. It even drives well with a good ride-handling balance. Maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise that it's one of the UK's most-bought cars.
9. Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y was the UK's ninth most popular car last month. That shouldn't be surprising; this is the Tesla that was built to capture European sales. The Model Y is the only Tesla with a European manufacturing base, and as a compact SUV, it's bang on the prevailing family car consensus. The standard rear-wheel drive Model Y combines a single electric motor and battery setup for a maximum range of 267 miles. But the Model Y is also – by some margin – the fastest entry in the top ten in Performance spec, claiming 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. Lordy.
8. Volkswagen Golf
One of the more evergreen entries, the Volkswagen Golf's enduring popularity has taken a slight dent with the advent of SUVs and crossovers, but it's still one of the most versatile new cars on sale today. It's likely the most popular car in the top ten with car enthusiasts, too, given the availability of bonafide performance options like the front-wheel drive Golf GTI and four-wheel Golf R, which now kicks out well over 300PS. Volkswagen's recently revealed update – the last Golf we'll see – smartens up the exterior, adds nominal power upgrades and brings useful infotainment updates. More than 10,000 Golfs have been sold this year alone.
7. Mercedes A-Class
The Mercedes A-Class might be surrounded by newer rivals – cars like the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series – but that hasn't stopped it from selling like steaming hot cakes fresh out of the oven. The allure of the Merc's three-pointed star is hard for many to ignore and once you see the gorgeous interior's turbine air-cents and crystal-clear displays, you'll understand why. And that's before we mention the trick augmented sat-nav. Sure, the driving experience is nothing to write home about – unless you pick an A35 or A45 hot hatch – and the cabin isn't the most practical but all in all, the A-Class remains one of the best hatches on sale.
6. Vauxhall Corsa
Ford may have killed the Fiesta, but Vauxhall's belief that there's life in the small car yet has been proven correct by the Corsa’s sixth-placed position on this list of the UK's most popular cars.
Stellantis money has breathed new life into the Corsa, transforming it from a budget option to a genuine class contender. It looks brilliant on the inside, and while the interior is dull – and a bit cramped in the back – it claws back points for its decent infotainment. Sure, the drive is less than enthralling, but the Corsa's petrol-sipping PureTech engines are pleasingly potent, and the Corsa Electric has a respectable range for a small EV.
5. Audi A3
The Audi A3 was an early brand engineering pioneer. It's basically a Volkswagen Golf with a dusting of glitter, in the same way the Skoda Octavia is a Volkswagen Golf with no glitter. You get a hewn-from-granite interior, premium tech options like a Bang & Olufsen stereo, and exotic motors, namely the fabulous turbocharged inline-five in the RS3, all sealed under Audi's premium, four-hoop badge. It's a formula that has translated into more than 10,000 sales in 2024.
4. Nissan Juke
The Nissan Juke is everything the modern car buyer wants strikingly styled, roomy, cheap to run and fully connected. The Juke's raised driving position gives you the feeling of safety craved by SUV owners, but it is also relatively sporty to drive with a ride and handling balance that puts you on the more sorted end of the small crossover spectrum. It's a shame the petrol and petrol-electric engine range gives you little to get excited about. The cabin quality could be better, but the interior is well-designed and roomy, and connecting your phone to the car's infotainment is simple. It’s a car that does most things well.
3. Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage has cemented a place as one of Britain's most popular SUVs, simultaneously affirming Kia as a mainstream brand in the UK. The first Sportage arrived in 1995 and continued on sale until 2003 when the Korean marque shifted just over 10,800. By contrast, Kia has already shifted 14,000 versions of the new model this year alone. The Sportage ticks all the family car boxes, with value for money, tech, and practicality all covered, along with a selection of electrified drivetrains.
2. Ford Puma
When Ford revived the Puma name in 2019, it took the same approach as the '90s original by leveraging the platform of the popular Fiesta supermini and using these humble underpinnings to develop a more desirable and profitable car. The glaring difference is that today's Puma is not a small coupe but a small SUV. While we'll forever mourn the coupe, seeing its sales dwarfed by the more practical and still fun-to-drive SUV is not surprising. Transforming it into an SUV has secured more than 15,000 sales this year already.
1. Nissan Qashqai
Is it all that surprising to see the car that started the crossover craze top this list of the UK's most popular cars? Of course, it isn't. Now, in its third generation, billions (well, many millions) of Qashqais have been sold globally. Designed in Britain, the new version continues the car's success story based on a formula that gives you SUV looks in a car that drives and is almost as efficient as a regular hatchback. More premium than its predecessor, the new Qashqai is available as the e-Power – an EV with a petrol engine running as a generator. It has the silent running and instant thrust of an EV without needing to charge.
List
Kia
Tesla
Ford
Hyundai
Mini
Vauxhall
Nissan
Volkswagen
BMW
Audi
