The UK new car market posted its 20th month of growth in March 2024, with registrations up 10% compared to the same month last year – the best March performance since 2019. But dig into the figures and the picture isn’t as rosy as it first appears. But at least Ford will be happy as the Puma SUV continues to hold the top spot on the sales charts.
Below, we’ve listed the bestselling cars in the UK so far in 2024, in order of increasing popularity, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
March is traditionally one of the busiest months of the year for UK car dealers, as buyers want the latest registration on their new motor – and 317,786 cars were registered during the month. That’s an increase of 10.4% on the figures in March 2023, making it the best March since 2019. But registrations are still down 30% on pre-pandemic levels.
As ever, leasing and rental fleets drove the growth, taking on 29.6% more cars than in March last year. By contrast, company car drivers and small businesses took 8.0% fewer cars, and registrations to private retail buyers were down 7.7%.
According to the SMMT, the continuing fall in retail demand reflects ‘a challenging economic backdrop of low growth, weak consumer confidence and high interest rates.’ Across the whole of 2024 so far, private buyers account for 38% of new car registrations, a reduction of 9.2% on the same period in 2023. Fleet registrations represent 59.8% of the market.
Demand for electric cars appears to be stalling, as well. Registrations grew by just 3.8% compared to March 2023, capturing 15.2% of the overall market – down from 17.7% in February of this year. Year-to-date market share is dropping as well, from 15.8% at the end of February to 15.5% at the end of March.
That could spell trouble for manufacturers under pressure to meet the UK government’s zero-emission vehicles mandate which requires that EVs account for 22% of sales. Miss the target and they face significant fines. Meanwhile, demand for plug-in hybrids is growing rapidly. Registrations grew by a whopping 36.7% in March 2024, compared with the same period last year. Year-to-date growth stands at 34%, representing 7.8% of the overall new car market. Self-charging hybrid registrations are showing very healthy growth, as well.
What the industry says about UK car sales
SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes, said: ‘Market growth continues, fuelled by fleets investing after two tough years of constrained supply. A sluggish private market and shrinking EV market share, however, show the challenge ahead.
‘Manufacturers are providing compelling offers, but they can’t single-handedly fund the transition indefinitely. Government support for private consumers – not just business and fleets – would send a positive message and deliver a faster, fairer transition on time and on target.’
The SMMT also reiterated its call for the Government to encourage the zero-emissions transition by temporarily halving VAT on new electric cars, raising the Vehicle Excise Duty supplement for expensive cars from the current threshold of £40,000, and reducing VAT on public EV charging to 5%, in line with domestic charging.
Now we’ll look at the bestselling cars of March 2024 and the bestselling cars of the year so far. Many cars have changed positions since February, but the Ford Puma remains on top for the year-to-date.
Top 10 bestselling cars of March 2024
- Nissan Qashqai – 8,931 sold
- Ford Puma – 8,318 sold
- Kia Sportage 0 7,445 sold
- Nissan Juke – 7,346 sold
- Audi A3 – 6,010 sold
- Vauxhall Corsa – 5,952 sold
- Mercedes-Benz A-Class – 5,892 sold
- Volkswagen Golf – 5,631 sold
- Tesla Model Y – 5,602 sold
- MG HS – 5,460 sold
Top 10 bestselling cars of 2024 (year-to-date)
10. Volkswagen T-Roc (8,934 sold)
An all-new version of the Volkswagen T-Roc will appear later in 2024 but the existing one remains a very solid choice of compact SUV, despite its advancing years. Its funky styling is central to its appeal, but there’s substance to go with it.
Even though the T-Roc’s dimensions are on the compact side, it’s a genuinely family-friendly car. Interior space is on par with VW Golf but the T-Roc’s boot is much bigger than that of its hatchback cousin. It’s quite good to drive, too, but the lack of even a mild hybrid version does count against it, these days.
Read our full Volkswagen T-Roc review
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9. MG HS (10,028 sold)
The MG HS makes an occasional appearance in the top 10 bestsellers list, usually when its maker is offering a lease deal that makes it even better value. Indeed, it’s the ultra-low price for an SUV of its size that’s key to the appeal of the HS.
It’s also very spacious and practical, and comes loaded with standard features. The facelifted version launched in 2023 looks quite good, too. But it’s not especially refined and there are question marks over its reliability.
Read our MG HS review
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8. MINI (10,049 sold)
The cheerful and fun MINI continues to post strong sales figures, proving that the British public still has a taste for the perennially Union Jack-ified hatchback. Not bad for a car that’s 10 years old and due to be a replaced by a new generation in 2024.
The MINI’s still fantastic to drive no matter which engine you pick. And, with more personalisation options on offer than many of its contemporaries, it’s a popular choice among those who like to stand out.
Read our MINI review
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7. Volkswagen Golf (10,290 sold)
The perennial Volkswagen Golf remains one of the best mid-size hatchbacks on the market, despite its irksome interior layout that relies too heavily on touchscreens for our liking. But those concerns should be addressed in the upcoming facelifted model.
Otherwise, the Golf remains a practical, comfortable car that offers a huge and diverse range of models to choose from. It’s good to drive, as well, and all the engines provide a decent balance of performance and efficiency.
Read our Volkswagen Golf review
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6. BMW 1 Series (10,406 sold)
The premium BMW 1 Series is the best mid-size hatchback on the market. The BMW 1 Series is a great car that’s fantastic to drive, packed with user-friendly tech and even pretty good value. There are plenty of petrol and diesel engines to choose from, as well.
On the downside, it’s not the most practical of car this type, with limited back seat and boot space. The lack of a hybrid version limits its appeal to certain buyers, as well.
Read our BMW 1 Series review
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5. Audi A3 (10,493 sold)
Audi’s hugely popular hatchback/saloon range has been a regular in the top 10 for many years, now. Indeed, it’s often the UK’s bestselling mid-size car that’s not an SUV, which shows the power of a premium-brand image and an attractive finance deal.
The A3’s a fine car that looks great, drives neatly, comes packed with tech and offers a huge range of engines and trim levels. It’s surprisingly good value, too. Only less than generous passenger space and some cheap interior materials let it down.
Read our Audi A3 review
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4. Nissan Juke (11,206 sold)
The Nissan Juke is the Japanese carmaker’s British-built compact SUV. It’s a very hotly contested class and, in all honesty, we’ve never rated the Juke too highly. The latest model is, at least, a big improvement over the original but it’s already starting to feel its age. Still, it seems the Juke’s eye-catching design and low costs continue to attract buyers.
The Juke trails its larger sibling, the Qashqai, in the sales charts, but the numbers are surprisingly close. Perhaps that’s indicative of UK buyers downsizing their cars.
Read our Nissan Juke review
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3. Kia Sportage (13,632 sold)
The Kia Sportage is one of the best family SUVs on sale today. It’s available with a choice of petrol engines or mild-, self-charging and plug-in hybrid powertrains, so there should be something to suit almost every buyer. It is on the pricey side, though.
But we reckon the Sportage is worth spending the cash on. It has a practical interior, a great infotainment package and it comes with Kia’s brilliant seven-year warranty. It’s no surprise it’s one of the bestselling cars in the UK.
Read our Kia Sportage review
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2. Nissan Qashqai (14,555 sold)
Nissan pioneered the SUV niche as we know it when it launched the original Qashqai back in 2006, and it seems the UK’s car buying public hasn’t yet grown tired of the car. The current version was launched in 2021 with a more spacious interior and simple physical cabin controls – instead of the touchscreen-based buttons so many cars now have.
Buyers have a choice of two petrol engines. There’s a 1.3-litre mild-hybrid available with two power outputs, and a 1.5-litre full hybrid. We recommend opting for the latter – with more power and greater efficiency it’s better to live with day-to-day.
Read our Nissan Qashqai review
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1. Ford Puma (15,054 sold)
The Ford Puma was the best bestselling car of 2023 and looks set to repeat the feat in 2024. Because this former Parkers Best Small Family Car award winner is hugely fashionable right now, as small SUVs are generally, and it’s a particularly practical and economical example of the breed.
It’s also one of the best-driving SUVs of any size on sale, capturing the same handling magic found in its chassis sibling, the Fiesta. It’s a hard car to fault generally, being full of thoughtful details that make life on the road as easy as possible. And it’ll plaster a smile across your face whether you’re attacking a back road or pottering to the shops.
Read our Ford Puma review
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