Third incursion inside the UK Top 10 for the Hyundai Kona.

150,070 new cars hit UK roads in May, a small 1.6% year-on-year improvement. The year-to-date total is now up 2.8% to 850,903. Petrol is down -12.5% to 71,291, diesel off -15.5% to 7,792, but HEVs are up 6.8% to 20,351, BEVs up 25.8% to 32,738 and 21.8% share and PHEVs surge 50.8% to 17,898 and 11.9% share. It’s fleets that push the market up at +3.7% to 90,102 and 60% share vs. 58.8% a year ago whereas private sales drop -2.3% to 56,131 and 37.4% share vs. 38.9% last year. Business sales gain 14.4% but remain marginal at 3,837 and 2.6%.

Volkswagen (+0.4%) is stable and remains in firm control of the brands charts with 9% share. This is compared to just 6.2% for the 2nd-placed BMW (-9.9%). Kia (-3.8%) is down one spot on April to #3 while Ford (+12.9%) posts a very solid performance at #4. Audi (-24.2%) is in trouble and rounds out the Top 5 ahead of Skoda (+11.4%) and Hyundai (+2.1%) both outpacing the market. Vauxhall (+16.4%) and Nissan (+4.3%) do the same in the remainder of the Top 10. Below, note the excellent scores of BYD (+407.6%) ranking #18 with 2% share, Renault (+37.3%), Peugeot (+36.6%) and Cupra (+32.7%). Jaecoo (#24) and Omoda (#26) confirm their initial success.

Traditionally very volatile, the UK models ranking is familiar this month, with the Ford Puma (-3.1%), Kia Sportage (-22.5%) and Nissan Qashqai (+17.1%) replicating the YTD and FY2024 order. The Nissan Juke (+16.5%) is up three ranks on last month to #4, its best ranking since last September (#3). The Vauxhall Corsa (+0.8%) resists at #5 ahead of the MG ZS (-0.2%) back inside the Top 10 at #6. Below the VW Polo (-14%), the Hyundai Kona breaks its UK ranking record at #8, for its third ever incursion inside the Top 10 after reaching #9 in February 2022 and #10 in July 2021. As for the Peugeot 2008 at #9, it manages a third Top 10 finish of the year.

Previous month: UK April 2025: Peugeot, BYD stand out in market down -10.4%

One year ago: UK May 2024: 22nd straight month of growth, Kia Sportage in the lead

Full May 2025 Top 50 All brands and Top 10 models below.

UK May 2025 – brands:

PosBrandMay-25%/24Apr2025%/24PosFY241Volkswagen13,5629.0%+ 0.4%177,1929.1%+ 13.4%112BMW  9,3276.2%– 9.9%352,9726.2%– 5.9%223Kia8,5795.7%– 3.8%251,9626.1%+ 3.8%344Ford  8,4895.7%+ 12.9%550,1985.9%+ 4.1%455Audi  8,0915.4%– 24.2%443,9145.2%– 17.7%536Skoda7,4345.0%+ 11.4%835,4894.2%+ 14.1%12127Hyundai7,2594.8%+ 2.1%638,6694.5%+ 3.9%1098Mercedes  7,0864.7%– 8.7%939,8724.7%– 7.0%769Vauxhall  7,0164.7%+ 16.4%1139,5494.6%+ 1.2%91110Nissan  6,8844.6%+ 4.3%1239,6384.7%– 13.5%8811MG6,6254.4%– 8.3%1535,0554.1%– 1.9%131012Toyota6,4814.3%– 5.2%1037,9264.5%– 5.3%11713Peugeot  6,1534.1%+ 36.6%740,6034.8%+ 34.9%61314Renault5,2163.5%+ 37.3%1327,2783.2%+ 20.8%161615Volvo4,9343.3%– 13.5%1428,1323.3%+ 16.5%151416Land Rover4,6433.1%– 1.8%1629,5753.5%+ 7.2%141517Cupra3,0372.0%+ 32.7%1915,2741.8%+ 35.7%182218BYD3,0252.0%+ 407.6%1814,8071.7%+ 570.9%213119Mini2,8831.9%+ 7.6%1718,4442.2%+ 4.9%171820Mazda2,6411.8%+ 21.6%2215,1781.8%+ 35.8%192421Dacia2,1591.4%– 19.8%2013,3971.6%+ 0.4%222022Tesla2,0161.3%– 36.0%3215,0021.8%– 7.8%201723Seat1,8471.2%– 48.3%2110,6421.3%– 41.4%241924Jaecoo1,6791.1%new255,9670.7%new304725Lexus1,4961.0%+ 11.6%266,9430.8%+ 6.5%272726Omoda1,4921.0%new295,5960.7%new323327Honda1,4341.0%– 19.5%2411,5421.4%– 25.5%232128Porsche1,3880.9%+ 5.6%237,9440.9%+ 4.8%262629Citroen1,3020.9%– 38.0%286,6490.8%– 51.0%282330Polestar1,1740.8%+ 273.9%305,7280.7%+ 175.1%313231Suzuki1,1420.8%– 43.8%278,0820.9%– 28.4%252532Jeep1,0830.7%+ 264.6%315,9830.7%+ 91.0%293033Fiat1,0060.7%+ 92.4%335,3790.6%– 22.7%332934Genesis1690.1%+ 196.5%416290.1%+ 68.6%393835Alfa Romeo1590.1%– 32.1%341,1090.1%+ 62.6%353636DS1410.1%+ 161.1%433710.0%– 24.7%424037Subaru1160.1%– 36.3%361,0320.1%– 15.6%363438KGM1010.1%– 22.9%376860.1%– 21.4%373739Bentley980.1%+ 44.1%384600.1%+ 12.5%404240Leapmotor980.1%new353990.0%new41 –41Smart940.1%– 36.5%396510.1%– 29.8%383542Alpine390.0%+ 105.3%401380.0%– 29.9%454443GWM Ora330.0%– 67.3%421570.0%– 74.3%443944Ineos290.0%+ 16.0%451060.0%– 12.4%474545Abarth250.0%– 34.2%441840.0%– 47.0%434146Maserati240.0%– 40.0%461380.0%– 42.3%464347Xpeng60.0%new47510.0%new48 –48Maxus30.0%+ 200.0%50350.0%+ 1066.7%494849Jaguar00.0%– 100.0%511,7250.2%– 81.7%342850Chevrolet00.0%n/a48310.0%+ 3000.0%5050 –Other British1900.1%+ 6.1% –1,5180.2%+ 21.3% – – –Other Imports1620.1%– 25.0% –8930.1%– 18.5% – –

UK May 2025 – models:

PosModelMay-25%/24Apr2025%/24PosFY241Ford Puma3,6952.5%– 3.1%221,9362.6%– 5.5%112Kia Sportage3,2562.2%– 22.5%119,6362.3%– 1.9%223Nissan Qashqai3,0882.1%+ 17.1%417,0772.0%– 13.3%334Nissan Juke2,8761.9%+ 16.5%715,2491.8%– 1.9%545Vauxhall Corsa2,6931.8%+ 0.8%316,5451.9%+ 28.0%4126MG ZS2,6241.7%– 0.2%n/a12,9181.5%n/a7177VW Polo2,2951.5%– 14.0%n/an/an/an/a10108Hyundai Kona2,1891.5%n/an/an/an/an/an/a219Peugeot 20082,0961.4%n/a8n/an/an/an/a2010Mini Cooper2,0791.4%n/a10n/an/an/an/a25n/aVolvo XC401,9941.3%n/a612,6061.5%n/a99n/aVW Tiguan1,9701.3%n/an/a12,6341.5%n/a813n/aVW Golf1,8501.2%– 36.7%n/a14,1981.7%– 8.8%66n/aMG HS1,5321.0%– 25.6%n/a12,5481.5%– 11.4%108

Source: SMMT