Ford Puma crowned UK's best-selling new car in a growing 2024 market

Crossovers dominate the Top 10 list.

By: Angel Sergeev

Jan 15, 2025 at 2:35am ET

Add Motor1.com as a preferred source in Google

Comment

The UK's car market hit the accelerator on growth in 2024, clocking in a 2.6 per cent increase in new car registrations. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a grand total of 1,952,778 shiny new vehicles hit the roads last year. But before you pop the champagne, let’s peel back the chrome on what that really means.

First of all, the Ford Puma has clawed its way to the top as the UK's best-selling car for 2024. This compact crossover, which some might say has the heart of a lion and the body of a... well, Puma, has pounced past competitors to claim the crown for the second consecutive year. According to recent figures, the Ford Puma sold over 48,000 units in 2024, outpacing rivals like the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai. The top five best-selling models were all crossovers and SUVs.

UK's best-selling models for 2024

1. Ford Puma - 48,340
2. Kia Sportage - 47,163
3. Nissan Qashqai - 42,418
4. Nissan Juke - 34,454
5. Tesla Model Y - 32,862
6. Volkswagen Golf - 32,370
7. Hyundai Tucson - 32,174
8. MG HS - 30,207
9. Volvo XC40 - 30,202
10. Volkswagen Polo - 28,981

On a broader plan, while 2024 marks the second consecutive year of growth, the industry limped to the finish line in December with a slight -0.2 per cent dip in registrations compared to the same month in 2023. Corporate fleets carried the car market this year, with registrations in this sector surging by 11.8 per cent to a record-breaking 1,163,855 units. That’s a solid six out of ten cars rolling off lots destined for businesses. Meanwhile, private buyers seem to have hit the brakes, with registrations falling by a worrisome -8.7 per cent to just 746,276 units. To put that in perspective, it’s even fewer than the socially distanced doldrums of the pandemic 2020.

Gallery: Ford Puma (2024)

What do you think?

View

Comments

Battery electric vehicles provided a rare bright spot. December saw a jolt in BEV registrations, making up 31 per cent of the market – the highest share since late 2022. For the year, BEVs accounted for nearly a fifth (19.6 per cent) of all registrations, an improvement of 67,283 units over 2023. However, it wasn’t quite enough to meet the 22 per cent target demanded by new zero-emission vehicle mandates.

The fossil fuel faithful are dwindling. Pure petrol and diesel registrations fell by -4.4 per cent and -13.6 per cent, respectively, as buyers pivoted toward hybrids and plug-in hybrids, which saw respective growth of 9.6 per cent and 18.3 per cent. The shift contributed to a drop in average CO2 emissions by -6.2 per cent, bringing levels to 102.1g/km – a figure manufacturers hope will cushion the blow of future compliance pressures.

Source: SMMT