The United Kingdom produced roughly 905,100 passenger cars in 2023. This marked the first year when figures increased since they started declining in 2016. Compared to 2022, production increased by approximately 16.8 percent in 2023. Challenges on the domestic front The United Kingdom’s automotive industry has been struggling following the Brexit referendum and was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, supply chain shortages, and raw material price increases. The United Kingdom was once the largest exporter of cars, and its long-standing brands still enjoy success worldwide. The UK domestic market, however, has been faring slightly worse than production for overseas. UK auto industry loses ground In 2023, the United Kingdom did not make it into the top 10 in a list of leading car producers worldwide. That same year, China was the world’s leading manufacturer of such motor vehicles. The country produced a staggering 26.1 million units.

Key information about United Kingdom Motor Vehicle Production

• United Kingdom Motor Vehicle Production was reported at 1,025,474.000 Unit in Dec 2023.
• This records an increase from the previous number of 876,614.000 Unit for Dec 2022.
• UK Motor Vehicle Production data is updated yearly, averaging 1,649,792.000 Unit from Dec 1997 to 2023, with 27 observations.
• The data reached an all-time high of 1,981,051.000 Unit in 1998 and a record low of 876,614.000 Unit in 2022.
• UK Motor Vehicle Production data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Automobile Sector – Table RA.OICA.MVP: Motor Vehicle Production: by Country.

There were around 33.2 million passenger cars in operation in the United Kingdom in 2022. UK roads have become busier since experiencing the most significant decline in the aftermath of the 2008-09 financial crisis. It remains to be seen whether the coronavirus crisis will cause a similar dent in the graph.

Car ownership per household

The majority of car owners in the UK have one car available to them. As of 2018, 53 percent of motorists had one vehicle in their household. Only one percent of respondents owned five cars or more.

Road safety The number of car drivers involved in reported road accidents in Great Britain fell to a record-low of just under 160,000 in 2019. The age group of under 16 year olds witnessed a sharp drop in the number of traffic-related fatalities in 2019. That said, all other age groups reported an increase in fatalities between 2018 and 2019.

Dataset population: Households

Car or van availability

The number of cars or vans that are owned, or available for use, by one or more members of a household. This includes company cars and vans that are available for private use. It does not include motorbikes or scooters, or any cars or vans belonging to visitors.

Households with 10 to 20 cars or vans were counted as having only 1. Responses indicating a number of cars or vans greater than 20 were treated as invalid and a value was imputed.

The count of cars or vans in an area relates only to households. Cars or vans used by residents of communal establishments were not counted.

Household composition

Household composition classifies households according to the relationships between the household members. Households consisting of one family and no other usual residents are classified according to the type of family (married, same-sex civil partnership or cohabiting couple family, or lone parent family) and the number of dependent children. Other households are classified by the number of people, the number of dependent children, or whether the household consists only of students or only of people aged 65 and over.

In Northern Ireland only:

• A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s).
• A family consists of a couple (married, same-sex civil partnership or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. It also includes a married, same-sex civil partnership or cohabiting couple with their grandchildren or a lone grandparent with his or her grandchildren, if there is no parent in the intervening generation in the household. A family will also include step-children when their parent is part of the couple.

Number of licensed vehicles (in thousands) at year end broken down by type including , cars, motor cycles, light goods, heavy goods, buses an coaches, and Other.

Vehicles are allocated to a local authority according to the postcode of the registered keeper. This is the keeper's address for privately owned vehicles or the company's registered address for company owned vehicles. Significant changes in the number of vehicles from year to year can often occur when a companies with a large number of vehicles change their registered address.
Other vehicles includes rear diggers, lift trucks, rollers, ambulances, Hackney Carriages, three wheelers and agricultural vehicles.
Data from DFT Table VEH0104 and VEH0105.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vehicles-statistics

Key information about United Kingdom Motor Vehicle Sales: Passenger Cars

• United Kingdom Motor Vehicle Sales: Passenger Cars was reported at 1,903,054.000 Unit in Dec 2023.
• This records an increase from the previous number of 1,614,063.000 Unit for Dec 2022.
• UK Motor Vehicle Sales: Passenger Cars data is updated yearly, averaging 2,264,737.000 Unit from Dec 2005 to 2023, with 19 observations.
• The data reached an all-time high of 2,692,786.000 Unit in 2016 and a record low of 1,614,063.000 Unit in 2022.
• UK Motor Vehicle Sales: Passenger Cars data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Automobile Sector – Table RA.OICA.MVS: Motor Vehicle Sales: by Country and Type: Passenger Car (PC).

Census Key Statistics Table KS17: Cars or Vans.

Includes any company car or van if available for private use.
'All cars or vans in the area' includes only those cars and vans owned by; or available for use by; households

This count is not exact as households with more than 10 or vans are counted as having 10 cars or vans.

Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. All data is © Crown Copyright 2003. Census day was 29 April 2001.

Key information about United Kingdom Motor Vehicles Sales Growth

• United Kingdom Motor Vehicles Sales grew 16.5 % in Dec 2023, compared with a decrease of 5.1 % in the previous year.
• UK Motor Vehicles Sales Growth rate is updated yearly, available from Dec 2006 to Dec 2023, with an average growth rate of 1.1 %.
• The data reached an all-time high of 16.5 % in Dec 2023 and a record low of -28.2 % in Dec 2020.
• Car Sales of UK recorded 2,263,666.0 units in Dec 2023.

Car Production in the United Kingdom increased to 82178 Units in February from 78012 Units in January of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Car Production- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

EU UK: Number of Motor Vehicles: NR: Passenger Cars data was reported at 234,945.000 Unit in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 192,649.000 Unit for May 2018. EU UK: Number of Motor Vehicles: NR: Passenger Cars data is updated monthly, averaging 162,430.000 Unit from Jan 1990 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 342 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 562,337.000 Unit in Mar 2017 and a record low of 33,051.000 Unit in Jul 1992. EU UK: Number of Motor Vehicles: NR: Passenger Cars data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by European Automobile Manufacturers' Association. The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Automobile Sector – Table EU.TA012: European Automobile Manufacturers Association: No of Motor Vehicle: Newly Registered.

In 2023, there were 1.90 million new passenger cars registered in the United Kingdom. This was an 18 percent increase compared to the previous year. The UK new car market has recorded its best year since the pandemic. The growth in 2023, was attributed to fleet investment, as the supply constraints of the previous year faded, thereby facilitating the fulfillment of accumulated demand. . What consumers want The most important feature British consumers were looking for in their new car was fuel efficiency. According to a 2023 Statista survey, some 56 percent of respondents reported this characteristic to be of importance to them when deciding on a new purchase. Vehicle safety, suitability for everyday use, low price, and high driving comfort were the features rounding off the top five. Total number of licensed cars The overall number of licensed cars in Great Britain came close to 32.2 million units in 2022, which marked a full recovery from the dip recorded in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost 31.9 million units were registered in Great Britain in 2019.

Dataset population: Households/Car or Vans

Car or van availability

The number of cars or vans that are owned, or available for use, by one or more members of a household. This includes company cars and vans that are available for private use. It does not include motorbikes or scooters, or any cars or vans belonging to visitors.

Households with 10 to 20 cars or vans were counted as having only 1. Responses indicating a number of cars or vans greater than 20 were treated as invalid and a value was imputed.

The count of cars or vans in an area relates only to households. Cars or vans used by residents of communal establishments were not counted.

This dataset contains details of the number of registered vehicles based upon registering address in Leicester and is sourced from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).Data is updated quarterly.This dataset is also part of a dashboard that has been created showing a range of transport related data. The dashboard can be viewed here.

In 2022, around 1.94 million motor vehicles were sold in the United Kingdom, down from its peak at around 3.1 million units in 2016. This figure represents a decrease of 5.1 percent year-on-year. Sales recovery does not match 2019 levels In 2022, the UK overtook France as the second-largest car market in Europe, a position it had lost since 2019. New passenger car registrations had grown in the country in 2023, up to the highest volume recorded since their dramatic drop in 2020. However, amid Brexit, the automotive semiconductor shortage, raw material price inflation, and an overall cost of living crisis, the UK's automotive industry has faced various challenges and has yet to reach its pre-COVID-19 pandemic level. The impact of inflation on car purchases The United Kingdom recorded its highest inflation rate since the 1990s in 2022, a situation which marginally improved in 2023. New cars were particularly impacted by the inflation, with their consumer price index being at its highest in the past fifteen years in 2023. Despite the inflating prices, car purchasing intentions remained relatively stable based on surveys ending in September 2023 and September 2024, with around half of UK residents reporting their intention of buying a car in the 12 months following the survey. This is, however, a positive development compared to purchase intentions reported in that same survey ending in September 2022.