UK’s best-selling cars revealed

The Ford (F) Puma was Augusts best-seller with 2,471 registrations, and is the also the best-selling car in the UK so far this year, with 32,263 units sold since January.

The Kia Sportage was the second best-selling car last month with 1,962 cars hitting the roads.

The Tesla (TSLA) Model 3 took third place with 1,542 cars sold.

The Volkswagen (VOW.DE) Polo was number four on this list, with 1,524 units sold, followed by the Tesla Model Y, with 1,469 registrations.

The Volkswagen Golf (1,437), VW T-Roc (1.297), Volvo XC40 (1,202), Hyundai (005380.KS) Tucson (1,198), and the Nissan (7201.T) Qashqai (1,170) complete the top 10 best sellers in August.

UK new car sales fell by 1.3% in August in a typically slow month ahead of the September plate change.

Some 84,575 new cars were registered last month, some 1,082 fewer than in the same month last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.

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Registrations of new pure battery electric vehicles rose 10.8% year on year, which the SMMT attributed to “heavy discounting by manufacturers over the summer and a raft of new models attracting buyers”.

Petrol and diesel car sales declined by 10.1% and 7.3%, respectively, though they still accounted for over half (56.8%) of August’s market.

Fleet purchases drove the market, accounting for six in 10 cars registered last month, or 51,329 units, despite a 1.2% drop compared with the same month last year.

The overall new car market grew by 5.1% during the first eight months of the year compared with the same period in 2023.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “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.

“Encouraging a mass market shift to EVs remains a challenge, however, and urgent action must be taken to help buyers overcome affordability issues and concerns about charge point provision.”

Jamie Hamilton, automotive partner and head of electric vehicles at Deloitte, said: “We expect September to be a better indicator of where the market stands with the new registration plates set to be introduced and a number of attractive incentives and discounts likely to be offered.

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“As pressure mounts on the industry to sell more electric vehicles to meet the required 22% market share, as set out in the zero-emission vehicle mandate, we expect further incentives for drivers to be introduced, making the switch to electric easier. Growing confidence in the second-hand market for electric vehicles should provide more clarity on residuals which could support lower pricing of new vehicles.

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“Concerns around charging is still a major barrier to purchase for consumers without access to off-street parking, so efforts to rollout superfast charging infrastructure will be crucial in the growth of this developing market.”

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