The Kia Sportage is the best-selling vehicle in the UK in September.

In the all important ’74’ plate change month of September, the UK new car market edges up 1% year-on-year to 275,239, the best September since 2020 but still -19.8% off pre-Covid September 2019. The year-to-date tally is now up 4.3% to 1,514,094. Private sales continue to under perform at -1.8% to 120,272 and 43.7% share vs. 44.9% in September 2023 whereas fleets gain 3.7% to 149,095 and 54.2% share vs. 52.7%. Meanwhile business sales are down -8.4% to 5,872. Year-to-date, private sales drop a hefty -9.4% to 588,616 and 38.9% share vs. 44.8% a year ago just as fleets surge 16.3% to 892,355 and 58.9% share vs. 52.9% last year and business sales are down -4.2% to 33,123.

Looking at sales by propulsion, PHEVs are the best performers this month with a 32.1% year-on-year lift to 24,486 and 8.9% share vs. 6.8% a year ago. Helped by heavy discounting, BEVs surge 24.4% to 56,387 units, their highest ever monthly volume. They hold 20.5% share for the month vs. 16.6% last year. HEVs are up 2.6% to 39,017 and 14.2% share vs. 13.9%, petrol is down -9.3% to 137,793 and 50.1% share vs. 55.7% and diesel off -7.1% to 17,556 and 6.4% share vs. 6.9%. Year-to-date, PHEVs once again ae the most dynamic at +26.2% to 124,943 and 8.3% share vs. 6.8% over the same period a year ago, while HEVs climbs 13.6% to 207,383 and 13.7% share vs. 12.6% and BEVs gain 13.2% to 269,931 and 17.8% share vs. 16.4%. Petrol edges down -0.8% to 814,188 and 53.8% share vs. 56.5% and diesel sinks -12% to 97,649 and 6.4% share vs. 7.6%.

Source: SMMT

In the brands ranking, Volkswagen (+2.9%) keeps the lead at 8.3% share, cementing its YTD domination (8.5%). Kia (+3.7%) advances two spots on August to #2, its best performance since March 2022. Audi (-7.8%) struggles at #3 but somehow manages to snap the 2nd spot YTD in the process. Toyota (+1.8%) is up three ranks on last month to #4 with a solid Mercedes (+13.7%) rounding out the Top 5. Skoda (+32%) and Hyundai (+20.1%) also beat the market in the remainder of the Top 10. Further down, Jeep (+149.8%), Polestar (+113.8%), Honda (+58.1%), Land Rover (+47%), Volvo (+41.8%) and Tesla (+19.1%) stand out. Cupra (+15.9%) outsells Seat (+9%). Newcomer Omoda is up 7 spots to #33 with over 1,000 sales.

The Kia Sportage (+30.4%) brilliantly reclaims the models top spot for the fourth time in the past 5 months but this is still not enough to catch the Ford Puma (-17.4%) in the year-to-date order. The Nissan Juke (+36.6%) reappears inside the Top 10 directly at #3 and now ranks #4 year-to-date. The Tesla Model Y (+43.9%) excels at #4 ahead of the Hyundai Tucson (+27.6%) also in great shape. The Nissan Qashqai (-38.8%) crumbles down but ensures the Top 6 is 100% SUVs like it was a year ago. The VW Tiguan (+23.2%), Polo (+5.2%) and Golf (+3.8%) all outstage the market below.

Previous month: UK August 2024: Volkswagen and Ford Puma dominate, Omoda launches

One year ago: UK September 2023: Fleets lift market up 21%, 6 SUVs in Top 6, MG places two models in Top 10

Full September 2024 Top 45 All brands and Top 10 models below.

UK September 2024 – brands:

PosBrandSep-24%/23Aug2024%/23PosFY231Volkswagen22,9558.3%+ 2.9%1128,5418.5%+ 4.2%112Kia17,5356.4%+ 3.7%492,4206.1%+ 2.7%463Audi  17,3176.3%– 7.8%298,2756.5%– 5.6%234Toyota16,6216.0%+ 1.8%779,2925.2%– 6.7%855Mercedes  16,4766.0%+ 13.7%680,2525.3%+ 20.0%796Ford  15,8755.8%– 23.1%385,7275.7%– 23.3%527Nissan  15,0795.5%– 4.5%1480,8565.3%+ 16.2%688Hyundai14,8745.4%+ 20.1%972,6664.8%+ 4.9%9109BMW  12,5384.6%+ 0.1%596,8166.4%+ 23.8%3410Skoda11,4544.2%+ 32.0%858,1833.8%+ 9.3%121211Volvo9,3843.4%+ 41.8%1649,1773.2%+ 32.3%141512Vauxhall  9,3473.4%– 30.4%1063,4024.2%– 16.5%10713Land Rover8,9933.3%+ 47.0%1848,9763.2%+ 23.8%151414MG8,9593.3%– 29.0%1362,1894.1%+ 0.9%111115Peugeot  8,3933.0%– 10.1%1150,8823.4%+ 9.7%131316Renault7,7972.8%– 3.5%1542,8552.8%+ 42.3%161817Tesla7,6562.8%+ 19.1%1236,1602.4%– 9.0%171618Mazda5,8732.1%+ 6.6%2422,7741.5%– 8.4%242119Honda5,0601.8%+ 58.1%1926,9591.8%+ 32.3%202520Mini4,9121.8%– 11.1%2530,1442.0%– 8.8%191721Cupra4,7061.7%+ 15.9%2222,8811.5%+ 22.5%232422Seat4,4301.6%+ 9.0%1731,2272.1%+ 28.3%181923Citroen3,8741.4%– 19.4%2023,1891.5%– 2.2%212024Suzuki3,8331.4%– 16.5%2120,8011.4%+ 0.0%252325Dacia3,3601.2%– 1.1%2323,0251.5%+ 7.3%222226Lexus3,1191.1%– 6.9%2912,6290.8%+ 5.5%282827Polestar2,4290.9%+ 113.8%316,3610.4%– 37.1%303028Fiat2,2150.8%– 28.9%2611,6990.8%– 17.8%292729Porsche1,9670.7%– 19.9%2712,8420.8%– 27.7%272630Jaguar1,8140.7%– 9.7%2814,1050.9%+ 38.6%262931Jeep1,2890.5%+ 149.8%326,1100.4%+ 155.0%313132BYD1,1500.4%+ 395.7%305,2600.3%+ 1082.0%323833Omoda1,0810.4%new401,1270.1%new37 –34Smart4620.2%+ 335.8%361,7250.1%+ 387.3%344335Subaru3660.1%– 33.7%351,9940.1%+ 9.5%333236KGM/SsangYong2550.1%– 6.9%341,4270.1%+ 12.9%353437DS2110.1%– 15.6%389910.1%– 50.1%393338Abarth1910.1%– 33.7%338900.1%+ 29.5%404139Alfa Romeo1870.1%– 1.1%371,2480.1%+ 10.5%363540Genesis1550.1%+ 30.3%398500.1%– 18.2%413641Ora1160.0%– 44.5%451,0760.1%+ 61.1%383942Bentley840.0%– 42.9%426270.0%– 41.0%423743Maserati680.0%– 19.0%433940.0%– 45.4%434044Ineos610.0%– 60.6%412480.0%– 66.4%464245Alpine410.0%+ 2.5%442940.0%+ 17.6%4444 –Other British4900.2%– 5.2% –2,4660.2%– 2.1% – – –Other Imports1870.1%– 17.6% –1,7990.1%+ 31.5% – –

UK September 2024 – models:

PosModelSep-24%/23Aug2024%/23PosFY231Kia Sportage7,4822.7%+ 30.4%237,5822.5%+ 33.5%242Ford Puma6,6812.4%– 17.4%138,9442.6%+ 4.4%113Nissan Juke6,0252.2%+ 36.6%n/a28,7271.9%+ 12.4%484Tesla Model Y5,7992.1%+ 43.9%523,4951.6%– 16.6%955Hyundai Tucson5,7992.1%+ 27.6%926,0961.7%– 4.9%666Nissan Qashqai5,2391.9%– 38.8%1032,9232.2%+ 1.0%327VW Polo4,6571.7%+ 5.2%423,7581.6%+ 42.5%8168VW Tiguan4,3271.6%+ 23.2%n/an/an/an/an/a179Ford Kuga4,0661.5%– 12.3%n/an/an/an/an/an/a10VW Golf3,9741.4%+ 3.8%627,4561.8%+ 29.2%512n/aAudi A33,2771.2%– 17.5%n/a24,9571.6%+ 11.2%79n/aMG HS3,0251.1%– 24.9%n/a23,1151.5%+ 19.6%1013

Source: SMMT