UK new car sales climbed 7.1% year-over-year to 160,662 units in May 2026, the strongest May performance since 2019, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Private buyer demand led the growth, with registrations jumping 17.2% as consumers took advantage of competitive offers from a record range of brands and a 6.4% increase in model choices, including a 25.6% rise in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales year-to-date. Fleet demand grew modestly by 1.8%, accounting for 57.1% of all registrations, while the smaller business sector declined by 18.8%, though the volume drop was marginal (720 units). Consumer demand continued to shift toward new technologies, with petrol and diesel car registrations falling by 7.1% and 2.2%, respectively. Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) uptake rose 1.8%, plug-in hybrid deliveries surged 23.9% to capture a 13.8% market share, and BEV registrations increased 34.2%, reaching a 27.3% market share, the highest recorded in 2026 so far. source: The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT)
New Passenger Car Registrations YoY in the United Kingdom decreased to 7.10 percent in May from 24 percent in April of 2026. New Passenger Car Registrations YoY in the United Kingdom averaged 10.71 percent from 1991 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 3176.60 percent in April of 2021 and a record low of -97.30 percent in April of 2020. This page includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom New Passenger Car Registrations YoY. United Kingdom New Passenger Car Registrations YoY - values, historical data and charts - was last updated on June of 2026.
New Passenger Car Registrations YoY in the United Kingdom decreased to 7.10 percent in May from 24 percent in April of 2026. New Passenger Car Registrations YoY in the United Kingdom is expected to be 2.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the United Kingdom New Passenger Car Registrations YoY is projected to trend around 4.50 percent in 2027 and 7.00 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.