The Ford Puma holds a record 3.6% of the UK market in February.

The UK new car market is up by a solid 7.2% year-on-year in February to 90,100 units. This is the strongest February volume in 22 years: since the 91,460 sales of February 2004. The year-to-date tally is up 4.8% to 234,227. Encouragingly, private sales surge 17.6% to 35,227 and 39.1% share vs. 35.6% in February 2025, while fleet sales only edge up 1.8% to 53,506 and 59.4% share vs. 62.5% a year ago. Business sales are down -12.7% to 1,367 and 1.5% share vs. 1.9%. Year-to-date, private sales are up 9.4% to 87,624 and 37.4% share vs. 35.8% over the first two months of 2025, fleet sales are up 1.7% to 141,777 and 60.5% share vs. 62.4% and business sales up 22.8% to 4,826 and 2.1% share vs. 1.8%.

Looking at sales by fuel type, petrol is up 5.2% to 41,935 units, diesel is off -3.8% to 4,080, HEV up 3.3% to 11,807 and PHEV up 43.5% to 10,438 and 11.6% share vs. 8.7% a year ago. BEV sales are up just 2.8% to 21,840 and 24.2% share vs. 25.3% in February 2025. This is the second straight month that BEVs lose share year-on-year. Year-to-date, petrol edges up 0.7% to 110,692, diesel is off -7.2% to 11,942, HEV up 4.2% to 31,104 and PHEV up 45.9% to 28,995 and 12.4% share vs. 8.9% over the first two months of 2025. BEVs are up just 1.2% to 51,494 and 22% share vs. 22.8% last year.

Source: SMMT

Volkswagen (-11.5%) struggles year-on-year but remains the favourite car brand in the country with 7.9% share. Ford (+36.6%) rallies back up to 2nd place with 6.7% of the market, its best performance since last August. BMW (-2.1%) for its part repeats at #3 ahead of Mercedes (+33.9%) and Audi (+17.2%), the three German premium carmakers all fitting within a hundred sales. Skoda (+17.3%) and Vauxhall (+16.1%) also impress, while further down BYD (+83%), Jaecoo (+179.7%), Citroen (+82.8%), Omoda (+147.8%) and Suzuki (+77.6%) stand out. Tesla is off -37.1%.

Over in the models charts, the Ford Puma (+119.6%) more than doubles its sales year-on-year to reclaim the top spot it has held over the past three years, both for the month and YTD. The nameplate even smashes its UK share record to 3.6%, its previous best being 3.2% hit in April 2024, November 2025 and December 2025. The Kia Sportage (+45.4%) is also in outstanding shape at #2, while last year’s leader the Mini Cooper (-11.9%) ends the month at #3. The Tesla Model 3 (-20.4%) reappears at #4 with the Jaecoo 7 confirming its stunning success in the UK at #5, the model’s 7th straight monthly Top 10 finish.

Previous month: UK January 2026: Jaecoo 7 up to #2

One year ago: UK February 2025: Mini Cooper best-seller

Full February 2026 Top 52 All brands and Top 10 models below.

UK February 2026 – brands:

PosBrandFeb-26%/25Jan2026%/25PosFY251Volkswagen7,1047.9%– 11.5%119,6438.4%– 9.0%112Ford  6,0566.7%+ 36.6%413,5965.8%+ 22.8%333BMW  4,6235.1%– 2.1%312,7225.4%– 9.1%424Mercedes  4,5385.0%+ 33.9%711,3254.8%+ 16.1%795Audi  4,5225.0%+ 17.2%512,0565.1%+ 17.1%556Vauxhall  4,5155.0%+ 16.1%611,7335.0%+ 6.9%6137Kia4,4975.0%+ 5.6%214,4806.2%– 3.9%248Skoda4,3434.8%+ 17.3%910,2924.4%+ 14.8%8119Peugeot  3,7514.2%– 12.0%810,0994.3%– 18.3%91210Hyundai3,7424.2%– 9.0%119,5544.1%– 8.5%10611Toyota3,2163.6%+ 8.4%138,3033.5%+ 8.8%12712MG3,0793.4%– 7.4%148,1583.5%– 6.9%131013Mini3,0463.4%– 23.4%196,0292.6%– 13.4%191814Renault2,9663.3%+ 16.8%167,4033.2%+ 11.8%151515Volvo2,9623.3%+ 5.7%186,7132.9%– 5.0%171416Nissan  2,6472.9%– 33.0%108,5893.7%– 22.5%11817Land Rover2,4272.7%+ 29.2%127,7263.3%+ 10.9%141618Tesla2,4222.7%– 37.1%333,1401.3%– 40.9%251919BYD2,1542.4%+ 83.0%176,1752.6%+ 121.2%181720Jaecoo2,0282.3%+ 179.7%156,8782.9%+ 374.7%162321Cupra1,8582.1%+ 15.6%204,5812.0%+ 19.0%202022Mazda1,6751.9%+ 25.1%224,1331.8%+ 0.6%212123Citroen1,6141.8%+ 82.8%214,0941.7%+ 91.4%222624Chery1,4061.6%new233,5331.5%new233425Omoda1,2861.4%+ 147.8%253,1321.3%+ 181.7%262726Suzuki1,2451.4%+ 77.6%262,9301.3%+ 15.4%272927Dacia1,2281.4%+ 25.2%243,1561.3%– 4.1%242228Honda8741.0%– 38.8%311,7560.7%– 42.4%292429Polestar6750.7%+ 31.1%291,7450.7%+ 38.4%303030Seat6610.7%– 33.0%271,9600.8%– 32.8%282531Porsche4990.6%– 17.2%281,7150.7%– 4.4%312832Lexus4600.5%– 23.1%301,3900.6%– 16.3%323133Leapmotor4390.5%new321,2050.5%new333534Jeep3750.4%– 32.7%349750.4%– 35.7%343235Geely2040.2%new422900.1%new374736Fiat1880.2%– 69.0%354450.2%– 78.1%353337Subaru1130.1%+ 32.9%392800.1%+ 41.4%383738Alfa Romeo990.1%+ 76.8%363100.1%+ 148.0%363639KGM860.1%+ 177.4%382540.1%+ 74.0%394140Alpine680.1%+ 1033.3%372380.1%+ 1387.5%403941Changan600.1%new402130.1%new414942Smart530.1%+ 23.3%431320.1%+ 29.4%433843Genesis510.1%– 55.3%411470.1%– 28.3%424244Lotus350.0%– 66.0%44780.0%– 80.2%44n/a45Abarth260.0%+ 0.0%47480.0%+ 6.7%455046Xpeng220.0%new –220.0%new494547Maserati130.0%+ 18.2%45430.0%+ 16.2%464848Ineos130.0%+ 225.0%46390.0%+ 160.0%475149GWM Ora70.0%+ 40.0%49150.0%– 73.7%504650DS50.0%– 77.3%48240.0%– 80.5%484351Skywell40.0%n/a51100.0%+ 900.0%515452Jaguar10.0%– 99.5%5070.0%– 99.3%5240 –Other British1040.1%– 39.9% –3830.2%– 36.4% – – –Other Imports150.0%– 63.4% –1390.1%– 17.3% – –

UK February 2026 – models:

PosModelFeb-26%/25Jan2026%/25PosFY251Ford Puma3,2203.6%+ 119.6%36,9353.0%+ 82.6%112Kia Sportage2,2052.4%+ 45.4%16,8802.9%+ 37.8%223Mini Cooper1,8282.0%– 11.9%n/a3,5931.5%– 5.5%7124Tesla Model 31,5841.8%– 20.4%n/an/an/an/an/a205Jaecoo 71,4461.6%n/a25,5052.4%n/a3136Volvo XC401,3921.5%– 6.3%n/an/an/an/an/a77VW Tiguan1,3791.5%– 15.7%83,8041.6%+ 3.5%698Vauxhall Corsa1,3351.5%+ 7.1%54,2371.8%– 8.4%449Ford Kuga1,2861.4%n/an/an/an/an/an/a1910Hyundai Tucson1,2221.4%n/an/an/an/an/an/a10n/aVW Golf1,2141.3%– 28.1%93,2861.4%– 23.6%106n/aNissan Qashqai1,1401.3%– 25.3%44,1351.8%– 16.4%53n/aNissan Juke1,0731.2%– 33.9%73,5901.5%– 9.0%85n/aBYD Seal U8080.9%n/a63,3581.4%n/a921

Source: SMMT