August saw a 5.8 for every cent dip in the amount of new cars registered in the Uk, adhering to July’s 11 for every cent surge as consumers returned to lockdown adhering to months of dealership closures. A whole of 87,226 new cars were registered final thirty day period, down from ninety two,573 in August 2019.
Year-to-date registrations remain worryingly down, at negative 39.seven for every cent, with in excess of 600,000 less cars acquiring households so much this 12 months in contrast to the similar point in 2019. Dealerships were closed involving 23 March and one June, while, a 70-day duration, or 19 for every cent of the 12 months with the online-only car-gross sales model not thoroughly mature, this tumble will not appear as a shock to people in the market.
Private gross sales were comparatively robust with 39,833 new cars acquiring households, down just 699 models, or one.seven for every cent, in excess of the similar thirty day period final 12 months. The Ford Fiesta remains the UK’s greatest-providing car, both equally in August and 12 months-to-date, with the Volkswagen Golfing and the Ford Emphasis staying the next and 3rd most registered cars in August, and the new Ford Puma also proving well known, finishing fourth in the gross sales chart.
But when sturdy non-public sales may reveal shopper confidence is returning to comparable levels to 2019 in some regards, the similar are unable to be mentioned of fleet and enterprise consumers, who respectively registered 5.5 and fifty seven.9 for every cent less new cars final thirty day period – while enterprise buys, defined as little fleets of under 24 cars, make up a small proportion of the market place, staying responsible for just 3,448 registrations in August 2019, and one,450 final thirty day period. Fleet gross sales were down to from 48,593 to forty five,943.
Electric cars, once all over again, were very clear winners in final month’s figures, with gross sales up seventy seven.six for every cent many thanks to 5,589 registrations, and the sector account for six.four for every cent of overall gross sales so much this 12 months. Sales of plug-in hybrids more than trebled in contrast to 2019, with 2,922 registered in August – while this accounts for 3.3 per cent of the market place.
Petrol (fourteen.seven for every cent down) and diesel (39.5 for every cent down) cars experienced the most, when typical hybrids, this sort of as the Toyota Prius, saw a six.four for every cent rise in attractiveness, their 5,542 registrations generating up four.3 for every cent of August’s market place.
Mike Hawes, main executive of the Modern society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), referred to as final month’s figures “disappointing”, introducing: “Even so, offered August is commonly one the new car market’s quietest months, it is crucial not to draw also several conclusions from these figures on your own. With the all-crucial plate transform thirty day period just all over the corner, September is probably to give a better barometer. As the country will take actions to return to normality, guarding shopper assurance will be critical to driving a recovery.”
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