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What’s the most popular new car of the year so far?
New car registrations in the UK increased by 3.3% in August, compared with the same time last year. The 81,640 new cars registered in the month pushed the year to date up to 1.68m, which is a rise of 2.8% on 2015.
The growth was driven by the fleet sector, showing an increase of 7.7% to 43,267 vehicles, which the SMMT said was buoyed by attractive finance deals and discounts. Private registrations fell slightly by 0.2% during what is typically one of the quietest months of the year due to the upcoming plate change in September.
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What does the SMMT have to say on August car sales?
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “August is traditionally one of the quietest months as consumers look ahead to the September plate change, so growth, albeit small, is good news. With showrooms full of exciting models featuring the very latest technology and a raft of affordable finance options, it still makes economic sense to consider buying a new car. The key to maintaining this strong market is consumer confidence for which we look to government to deliver the conditions for economic growth.”
Petrol registrations edged ahead in August with a 5.3% increase compared with a 0.2% fall in diesel demand. Meanwhile, alternatively fuelled vehicles continue to see significant growth, rising 30.8%. Almost 54,000 AFVs have been registered in 2016, compared with 44,000 over the same period last year.
The top 10 sellers for 2016
What are the most popular sellers so far this year?
- Ford Fiesta – 76,370
- Vauxhall Corsa – 50,355
- Ford Focus – 46,145
- Volkswagen Golf – 43,951
- Nissan Qashqai – 39,674
- Vauxhall Astra – 35,276
- Volkswagen Polo – 33,877
- MINI – 27,713
- Vauxhall Mokka – 27,545
- Mercedes-Benz C Class – 26,391
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