Record number of vehicles on UK roads

Motorway traffic

The number of vehicles on our roads reached a record 41.4 million in 2023, according to the latest SMMT figures.

The new Motorparc data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders revealed that car ownership was up 1.6% to 35,694,845.

There were also record numbers of commercial vehicles, with 625,873 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and 5,012,632 vans in operation, up by 1.7% and 2.6% respectively.

Despite the rise, average car CO2 dropped 2.1%. In fact, one in 40 of all vehicles on UK roads is now zero emission, including 960,896 cars, 61,161 vans, 2,383 HGVs and 1,922 buses.

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Almost half a million new battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles were registered during 2023.

BEV van volumes rose by 43.5% on 2022 to 61,161, meaning 1.2% of vans on UK roads is now zero emission, while electric HGVs rose 146.4% in 2023.

Elsewhere in the SMMT data, the five most popular cars on UK roads in 2023 were the Ford Fiesta (1,487,925), Vauxhall Corsa (1,050,579), Ford Focus (1,049,818), Volkswagen Golf (1,004,152) and Vauxhall Astra (715,647 ).

Continuing their domination, superminis remain the most popular car type on roads, with one in three drivers choosing these more compact vehicles to get around.

And despite the fact that the UK is the fifth rainiest country in Europe, convertibles account for almost one in 35 cars on the road, with 1,022,849 in use.

Cost of living crisis is fuelling booming used car market

Gareth Herincx

2 days ago
Auto News

Used car lot

New research has highlighted the No 1 reason why more people choose used cars over factory-fresh models.

A poll commissioned by The Motor Ombudsman found that more than half of respondents (58%) said that their primary motivation would be to save money.

This is particularly pertinent at a time when consumer budgets remain under pressure, with further increases looming for household bills, such as council tax, broadband, water, and standing energy charges.

More than 7.2 million used cars changed hands in 2023, compared to 1.9 million new car registrations, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The research also revealed that four in 10 respondents would prefer buying a car that had one or more previous owners to help avoid bearing the initial loss in value (ie depreciation), which is especially associated with buying a car from new.

Nearly a third (32%) said there is often a large choice of vehicles to select from across the country when shopping around, whilst just over a quarter of survey participants (26%) agreed that they would be able to test drive and buy cars that were for sale on forecourts.

When quizzed about some of the primary benefits of buying a used car from a retailer, rather than a private individual, via a social media advert for example, nearly half (48%) of respondents stated that going to an established trader provided them with the added reassurance that a car had undergone checks prior to going on sale.

Furthermore, 43% of survey participants wanted a safety net in case something went wrong with their car after buying it, as they would have more legal rights, and could use The Motor Ombudsman for assistance in resolving a dispute if the retailer was accredited.

Finally, the poll highlighted what type of car would top their used car wishlist for 2024. The overriding majority (46%) would buy a petrol model, with those in the 55 age bracket the most likely to do so (52%).

Around a quarter (26%) said a hybrid would be their preferred choice, followed by a diesel variant (17%), whilst one in 10 (10%) would look to get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle (EV).

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Revealed: UK’s Top 10 best-selling cars

Gareth Herincx

3 days ago
Auto News

Ford Puma

The official data for car sales has been released and it’s clear that 2023 was a year of recovery after the pandemic and the computer chip shortage.

In all, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures show that more than 1.9 million new cars were registered in the UK in 2023 – the best year since 2019, but still 17.7% down on the 2.3 million sold that year.

And despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, 2023 was still a record year for electric vehicle sales, with more than 300,000 new EVs registered – an increase of almost 50,000 compared with 2022.

So, what were the most popular new cars of 2023? Here’s the Top 10 best-sellers…

1. Ford Puma: 49,591

2. Nissan Qashqai: 43,321

3. Vauxhall Corsa: 40,816

4. Kia Sportage: 36,135

5. Tesla Model Y: 35,899

6. Hyundai Tucson – 34,469

7. Mini Hatch: 33,385

8. Nissan Juke – 31,745

9. Audi A3: 30,159

10. Vauxhall Mokka: 29,984

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British-built Nissan Qashqai was UK’s bestselling car in 2022

Gareth Herincx

13 hours ago
Auto News

Gold-wrapped Nissan Qashqai

The Nissan Qashqai was the UK’s most popular new car of 2022, and the first British-built model to top the annual sales charts for 24 years.

Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) confirm that the home-grown Qashqai – which was designed in Paddington, engineered in Cranfield and is built in Sunderland – was the nation’s best-selling car of the last 12 months.

A total of 42,704 new Qashqais were driven off dealership forecourts across the UK in 2022, reported the SMMT.

To celebrate the achievement, an exclusive gold-wrapped Qashqai was created in honour of the 7,000 Nissan employees from around the UK that have contributed to its success.

  1. Nissan Qashqai – 42,704
  2. Vauxhall Corsa – 35,910
  3. Tesla Model Y – 35,551
  4. Ford Puma – 35,088
  5. Mini – 32, 387
  6. Kia Sportage – 29,655
  7. Hyundai Tucson – 27,839
  8. Volkswagen Golf – 26,588
  9. Ford Kuga – 26,549
  10. Ford Fiesta – 25,070

Overall, 1.61 million new cars were registered in the UK in 2022 – the lowest level since 1992.

Although demand for new vehicles remained high, manufacturers struggled to get hold of parts. There were particularly serious problems obtaining semiconductors, which are used in a vast array of electronic systems, from infotainment systems to engine management.

Meanwhile, demand for electric vehicles continued to grow and they accounted for almost a fifth of new car sales.

Registrations rose from 190,700 to 267,000 – with the EV market share climbing from 11.6% to 16.6%.

The Tesla Model Y was the biggest-selling electric vehicle by far, nothing up 35,551 registrations, followed by the Tesla Model 3 (19,071) and Kia Niro (11,197).

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Used car market slows as buyers tighten belts

Home / Auto News / Used car market slows as buyers tighten belts

Gareth Herincx

15 hours ago
Auto News

Sales of used cars dropped in the second quarter of 2022, with more than 407,000 fewer vehicles changing hands than in the same period last year.

A total of 1,759,684 used car sales took place between April and June – an 18.8% fall – according to new figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Petrol and diesel cars remained dominant during the quarter and accounted for 95.6% of sales, while sales of electric vehicles (EVs) rose by 57% to take 1% of the used market. Plug-in hybrids grew by 1% and hybrids fell by 4%.

Ford Fiesta ST

The Ford Fiesta was the most popular second-hand car in Q2, with transactions totalling 71,429, followed by the Vauxhall Corsa (57,306) and Volkswagen Golf (54,268).

Black was the most popular colour for a used car, followed by blue and grey. Pink cars proved the least popular overall.

Top 10 used cars (April-June 2022)

  1. Ford Fiesta – 71,429
  2. Vauxhall Corsa – 57,306
  3. Volkswagen Golf – 54,268
  4. Ford Focus – 54,144
  5. MINI – 42,268
  6. Vauxhall Astra – 41,277
  7. BMW 3 Series – 40,365
  8. Volkswagen Polo – 33,179
  9. Audi A3 – 29,888
  10. BMW 1 Series – 28,894

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Gareth is a versatile journalist, copywriter and digital editor who’s worked across the media in newspapers, magazines, TV, teletext, radio and online. After long stints at the BBC, GMTV and ITV, he now specialises in motoring.

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