UK new car market sees minor dip in August, Ford still on top

The Puma crossover retains its crown.

By: Angel Sergeev

Sep 7, 2024 at 2:10am ET

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In what’s typically a slow month for new car sales, the UK car market decided to hit the brakes, but only gently. According to the latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), new car registrations in August saw a slight decrease of 1.3 per cent. A total of 84,575 units found new homes last month, which is just 1,082 fewer than August of last year – hardly a cause for concern.

August is usually a quiet month for car sales in Britain, with buyers holding off for the shiny new September number plates. Fleet buyers, however, couldn’t wait, accounting for a hefty 60 per cent of the market. That’s 51,329 fleet vehicles on the road, despite a slight 1.2 per cent drop in this segment. Private buyers, on the other hand, were flatlining – figuratively speaking – registering a modest 0.2 per cent increase, with 32,110 new vehicles. Business buyers? Well, they seemed to take a vacation in August, with registrations plunging by a whopping 30.3 per cent.

UK's best-selling models in August 2024:

Ford Puma - 2,471
Kia Sportage - 1,962
Tesla Model 3 - 1,542
Volkswagen Polo - 1,524
Tesla Model Y - 1,469
Volkswagen Golf - 1,437
Volkswagen T-Roc - 1,297
Volvo XC40 - 1,202
Hyundai Tucson - 1,198
Nissan Qashqai - 1,170

The Ford Puma was the best-selling new car in August with 2,471 deliveries, followed by the Kia Sportage (1,962) and Tesla Model 3 (1,542). The Volkswagen Polo (1,524) and Tesla Model Y (1,469) were also in the Top 5. Meanwhile, the crossover from Ford continues to be the best-seller for 2024 so far with 32,263 sales.

The great fuel debate continued as well, with petrol and diesel both losing steam. Petrol registrations dropped by 10.1 per cent, while diesel went down 7.3 per cent. Despite these declines, these traditional fuels still accounted for over half (56.8 per cent) of all new car sales, proving that the internal combustion engine isn’t ready to pack it in just yet.

UK’s best-selling models year-to-date:

Ford Puma - 32,263
Kia Sportage - 30,100
Nissan Qashqai - 27,684
Volkswagen Golf - 23,482
Nissan Juke - 22,702
Audi A3 - 21,680
Hyundai Tucson - 20,297
MG HS - 20,090
Volkswagen T-Roc - 19,542
BMW 1 Series - 19,538

Meanwhile, in the land of hybrids, things were a bit of a mixed bag. Plug-in hybrids took a hit, with registrations falling by 12.3 per cent, giving them a 6.8 per cent slice of the pie. But the hybrids that don’t need a plug were having a moment, with a 36.1 per cent surge, capturing 13.8 per cent of the market.

And then, there’s the electric revolution. Battery electric vehicles were kind of the stars of the show in August, with registrations climbing 10.8 per cent, helped along by some generous discounts and an ever-growing menu of shiny new models to choose from. BEVs grabbed 22.6 per cent of the market last month, their highest share since December 2022 when they hit a record 32.9 per cent.

UK new car sales, August 2024

SMMT

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“August’s EV growth is welcome, but it’s always a very low volume month and so subject to distortions ahead of September’s number plate change. The introduction of the new 74 plate, together with a raft of compelling offers and discounts from manufacturers, plus growing model choice, will help increase purchase consideration and be a true barometer for market demand,” Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, commented.

“UK registrations were sluggish overall in August as buyers historically hold fire for September’s plate changes – although we did see a better balance between fleet and retail demand, and stronger growth for electric vehicles. As we approach the end of the first year of the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate, we’re cautiously hopeful that this growth in EV interest will translate into higher sales although the current market share still remains below the 22% required by the ZEV rules,” Ian Plummer, Commercial Director of Auto Trader, added.

Source: SMMT