New car registrations in the UK rose 6.6% yoy to 380,627 in March 2026, typically the biggest market month of the year, following a 7.2% gain in February, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. It marks the best March and best month overall since 2019, driven primarily by private demand, with retail registrations rising 10.1% to 162,470 units. Fleet registrations increased 3.5% to 208,853 units, while the smaller business sector grew 18.8% to 9,304 units. March was also the best month on record for EV volumes (196,059 registrations), underlining the impact of manufacturers’ investment in road transport decarbonisation. Battery electric vehicles volumes went up 24.2% to reach record high, but market share was just 22.6%, when mandated target for the year is 33%. At the start of 2026, battery costs were more than 30% higher than expected and industrial energy prices around 80% above 2021 levels, while public charging can cost over 140% more than five years ago. source: The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT)
New Passenger Car Registrations YoY in the United Kingdom decreased to 6.60 percent in March from 7.20 percent in February of 2026. New Passenger Car Registrations YoY in the United Kingdom averaged 10.68 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 April of 2026.
New Passenger Car Registrations YoY in the United Kingdom decreased to 6.60 percent in March from 7.20 percent in February of 2026. New Passenger Car Registrations YoY in the United Kingdom is expected to be 0.80 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 1.50 percent in 2027 and -1.00 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.