In 2024, around **** million motor vehicles were sold in the United Kingdom, down from its peak at around *** million units in 2016. Sales recovery does not match 2019 levels In 2024, the UK was the second-largest car market in Europe. 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 that marginally improved in 2023. And, in 2024, the average inflation rate dropped to **** percent. New cars were particularly impacted by the inflation, with their consumer price index being at its highest in the past 15 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 **** 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.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by MG in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2014 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. From 2018 onward, MG monthly sales volume generally increased in comparison to the previous years. In December 2019, 1,700 new units had been sold, an increase of roughly 162 percent in comparison to the same month a year beforehand.

Over the course of 2019, Toyota sold some 105,000 passenger cars in the United Kingdom. This was roughly 3.2 percent more than were sold in the same time period the previous year, with the Japanese automaker having performed consistently well in the previous five years. Figures tend to spike in March and September as these are the months when the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency releases new registration plates, fueling sales. The Toyota Motor Corporation was established in 1937 and has since become one of the most valuable motor vehicle brands in the world.

Leading car brands

Toyota is commonly found among the leading car companies in the UK. In September 2019 it held a market share of 5.2 percent, which made it the sixth most popular car brand that month. The ranking was most often led by U.S. based manufacturer Ford. Toyota’s market share was highest in September 2018 when it amounted to 5.63 percent.

Toyota’s hybrid models

As the creator of the first mass-produced electric hybrid car – the Prius, Toyota is often associated with electric vehicle manufacturing. After first being introduced in 2011, Yaris has become Toyota’s most popular hybrid model, with 17,001 units sold in 2018. By comparison, Prius sales only amounted to 4,187 units.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by Hyundai in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. In December 2019, 3,801 new Hyundai cars had been sold. This company is one of the leading car brands in the UK.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by Suzuki in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. In September 2019, around 3,800 new Suzuki cars had been sold.

In December 2020, car intenders in the United Kingdom purchased around ***** new Jaguar cars. UK car sales nosedived amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The peaks seen in March and September are due to the issuing of new registration plates by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Jaguar's market share In December 2020, Jaguar's share of the UK car market stood at **** percent. This figure represents Jaguar's highest market share between January 2019 and December 2020. Year-to-date, Jaguar’s market share amounted to **** percent, slightly above the average level during the past two years. About Jaguar and Land Rover The British automobile company began production in 1935 and has been a part of the luxury brand Jaguar Land Rover since 2013. In 2019, the Jaguar and Land Rover brands had combined sales of ******* units in Europe. The United Kingdom is Jaguar's largest single market.

This statistic represents the percentage of cars registered in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2014 to 2019 according to their sales type. The share of new cars sold in fleets, i.e. in large numbers, dominates the sales types for the period in consideration. In 2019, 53.3 percent of the newly registered cars were fleet. Business sales presented a trend of decline throughout the years recorded, falling from 4.8 to 2.6 percent of new registrations.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by Kia in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. In July 2019, 7,115 new Kia cars had been sold.

Motorists in the United Kingdom purchased some 531 Mitsubishi vehicles in December 2020. UK car sales nosedived amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The peaks seen in March and September are due to the issuing of new registration plates by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by MINI in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. In September 2019, around 12,700 new MINI cars had been sold.

In December 2020, there were roughly 7,300 new Vauxhall cars registered in the United Kingdom. UK car sales nosedived amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The peaks seen in March and September are due to the issuing of new registration plates by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Honda sold 2,796 cars in the United Kingdom (UK) in December 2019. The year as whole proved to be quite difficult for Honda's unit sales which were down about 16.5 percent compared to 2018. The busiest time of the year tended to be March and September, as those are the months when the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency distribute new registration plates.

Worldwide sales

Honda had sold around 5.3 million cars worldwide in its 2019 fiscal year. This was very close to double the number at the beginning of the reporting period in 2002 and the highest number sold in any year.

Honda to leave European production market

At the beginning of 2019, Honda announced that it would close its Swindon located production plant, thus exiting the European manufacturing market. In 2018, it had produced 160,676 cars in its United Kingdom based plant.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by Renault in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. In September 2019, around 11,800 new Renault cars had been sold.

This statistic shows the monthly number of cars sold by Peugeot in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2014 and December 2019. Peugeot is part of the French PSA Peugeot Citroen Group. Throughout all months recorded here, the company sales tended to spike in March and September of each year as these were the two months when the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency released new registration plates. In september 2019, Peugeot sold 10,918 cars in the UK, a slight decrease in comparison to the same month of the previous year.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by Ssangyong in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. In September 2019, roughly 400 new Ssangyong cars had been sold.

In December 2020, Nissan sold some 7,100 cars in the United Kingdom. UK car sales nosedived amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The peaks seen in March and September are due to the issuing of new registration plates by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by Volvo in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. In September 2019, around 8,800 new Volvo cars had been sold, an increase of roughly 4 percent in comparison to the same month the previous year.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by Smart in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. In March 2019, around 1,000 new units had been sold.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by Mazda in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. The highest sales volume in this time period was recorded in March 2017, with nearly 11,200 units. In September 2019, 7,600 new Mazda cars had been sold.

This statistic shows the monthly amount of cars sold by Abarth in the United Kingdom (UK) between July 2016 and December 2019. Peaks in registration numbers were recorded in March and September of each year, which was due to the issuing of license plates by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in those months. In July 2019, 221 new Abarth cars had been sold.