UK 1988-1989: Ford Escort leader, Sierra and Fiesta follow
Ford Escort
* See the Top 20/100 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Florian *
In an ever growing market, now over 2 million annual sales, the Ford Escort resists on top and lodges its 7th and 8th consecutive years at #1 in 1988 and 1989. Ford still dominates the podium, with the facelifted Sierra up to #2 and the Fiesta at #3. Both the Ford Escort and the Ford Sierra reach what would end up being their highest volume ever in the country in 1989 at 181,218 and 175,911 units respectively.
Ford Sierra
Two Vauxhalls follow in 1989: the Cavalier (aka Opel Vectra) up from #6 in 88, and the Astra (aka Opel Kadett), stable at #5. After a very solid year in 88 (116,811 units), the Austin Metro loses steam in 89 to #6 while the Vauxhall Nova (aka Opel Corsa) is up to #7. The Rover 200 progresses each year to reach 68,316 sales in 1989 (#9).
Range Rover
After beating the foreign model annual volume record in 86 (39,188) and 87 (49,127), the Peugeot 205 does it again in 88 (54,147) before the VW Golf beats it in 89 (56,055). Notice the Nissan Micra up to #12 and 52,143 sales in 88, improving further to 54,175 units in 89, the excellent start of the Peugeot 405, landing directly at #14 in 89 with 47,834 sales, the Rover 800 up 46% to 29,442 units and #24 in 89 and the BMW 3 Series up to #26 and 29,067 sales that same year.
Further down the 1989 ranking, the Vauxhall Carlton (aka Opel Omega) is #28, the Austin Mini is down to #40 with 12,852 sales, the Jaguar XJ is #44, the Hyundai Pony #52, the Range Rover #54 and the Vauxhall Belmont (aka Opel Kadett sedan) #80.
1988 Top 20 and 1989 Top 100 Ranking Tables below.
UK Full Year 1988:
| Pos | Model | 1988 | /87 | 1987 | Pos |
| 1 | Ford Escort | 172,706 | -3% | 178,001 | 1 |
| 2 | Ford Sierra | 162,684 | 16% | 139,878 | 3 |
| 3 | Ford Fiesta | 144,991 | -6% | 153,453 | 2 |
| 4 | Austin Metro | 116,811 | 8% | 108,223 | 4 |
| 5 | Vaixhall Astra | 98,035 | 11% | 88,637 | 6 |
| 6 | Vauxhall Cavalier | 96,462 | -2% | 98,490 | 5 |
| 7 | Ford Orion | 67,713 | -2% | 69,262 | 7 |
| 8 | Austin Montego | 63,649 | 13% | 56,238 | 8 |
| 9 | Rover 200 | 58,890 | 17% | 50,254 | 9 |
| 10 | Vauxhall Nova | 56,863 | 33% | 42,659 | 13 |
| 11 | Peugeot 205 | 54,147 | 10% | 49,127 | 10 |
| 12 | Nissan Micra | 52,143 | 34% | 38,825 | 16 |
| 13 | VW Golf | 51,381 | 27% | 40,543 | 14 |
| 14 | Austin Maestro | 43,910 | 0% | 43,815 | 11 |
| 15 | Volvo 340/360 | 43,452 | 11% | 39,032 | 15 |
| 16 | Nissan Bluebird | 41,775 | 31% | 31,982 | 19 |
| 17 | Fiat Uno | 40,708 | 12% | 36,301 | 17 |
| 18 | Peugeot 309 | 36,896 | -14% | 42,691 | 12 |
| 19 | Citroen BX | 36,134 | 34% | 26,881 | n/a |
| 20 | Ford Granada | 35,524 | 1% | 35,091 | 18 |
| VW Polo | 31,863 | 2% | 31,220 | 20 | |
| Rover 800 | 20,200 | 369% | 4,307 | ||
| Toyota Corolla | 17,620 | 9% | 16,233 | ||
| Austin Mini | 14,108 | -11% | 15,873 | ||
| Renault 25 (e) | 8,420 | -2% | 8,560 | ||
| VW Passat (e) | 6,980 | -8% | 7,550 | ||
| Toyota Carina | 6,879 | 4% | 6,598 | ||
| Range Rover | 6,175 | 23% | 5,027 | ||
| VW Scirocco (e) | 4,870 | -3% | 5,030 | ||
| Audi 100 (e) | 4,010 | -31% | 5,840 | ||
| Citroen Visa (e) | 3,990 | -40% | 6,645 | ||
| Toyota Camry | 3,596 | -14% | 4,177 | ||
| Toyota Hilux | 3,211 | 35% | 2,376 | ||
| Toyota Celica | 3,204 | -1% | 3,247 | ||
| Toyota MR2 | 3,159 | 10% | 2,868 | ||
| Peugeot 305 (e) | 2,660 | -51% | 5,440 | ||
| Toyota Supra | 2,056 | 14% | 1,809 | ||
| Lancia Delta | 1,668 | 23% | 1,359 | ||
| Toyota Space Cruiser | 1,535 | 41% | 1,091 | ||
| Fiat Strada (e) | 1,110 | -51% | 2,265 | ||
| Toyota Land Cruiser | 952 | 432% | 179 | ||
| Toyota Starlet | 702 | -39% | 1,158 | ||
| Lotus Esprit | 572 | n/a | n/a | ||
| Ford Capri | 156 | -96% | 4,408 | ||
| Toyota Tercel | 150 | -83% | 909 | ||
| Rover SD-Series | 3 | -100% | 2,133 | ||
| Audi 80 (e) | -100% | 8,360 | |||
| Ford Cortina | -100% | 9 |
Vauxhall Belmont
UK Full Year 1989:
| Pos | Model | 1989 | /88 | 1988 | Pos |
| 1 | Ford Escort | 181,218 | 5% | 172,706 | 1 |
| 2 | Ford Sierra | 175,911 | 8% | 162,684 | 2 |
| 3 | Ford Fiesta | 149,358 | 3% | 144,991 | 3 |
| 4 | Vauxhall Cavalier | 130,615 | 35% | 96,462 | 6 |
| 5 | Vaixhall Astra | 115,294 | 18% | 98,035 | 5 |
| 6 | Austin Metro | 99,373 | -15% | 116,811 | 4 |
| 7 | Vauxhall Nova | 71,047 | 25% | 56,863 | 10 |
| 8 | Ford Orion | 68,598 | 1% | 67,713 | 7 |
| 9 | Rover 200 | 68,316 | 16% | 58,890 | 9 |
| 10 | Austin Montego | 57,835 | -9% | 63,649 | 8 |
| 11 | VW Golf | 56,055 | 9% | 51,381 | 13 |
| 12 | Nissan Micra | 54,175 | 4% | 52,143 | 12 |
| 13 | Peugeot 205 | 52,740 | -3% | 54,147 | 11 |
| 14 | Peugeot 405 | 47,834 | |||
| 15 | Nissan Bluebird | 41,636 | 0% | 41,775 | 16 |
| 16 | Citroen BX | 38,658 | 7% | 36,134 | 19 |
| 17 | Nissan Sunny | 36,685 | |||
| 18 | Austin Maestro | 36,535 | -17% | 43,910 | 14 |
| 19 | Peugeot 309 | 35,804 | -3% | 36,896 | 18 |
| 20 | Ford Granada | 33,519 | -6% | 35,524 | 20 |
| 21 | Volvo 340/360 | 32,305 | -26% | 43,452 | 15 |
| 22 | Renault 5 | 31,706 | |||
| 23 | VW Polo | 30,850 | -3% | 31,863 | |
| 24 | Rover 800 | 29,442 | 46% | 20,200 | |
| 25 | Fiat Uno | 29,130 | -28% | 40,708 | 17 |
| 26 | BMW 3 Series | 29,067 | |||
| 27 | Renault 19 | 27,227 | |||
| 28 | Vauxhall Carlton | 26,416 | |||
| 29 | Volvo 740/760 | 26,174 | |||
| 30 | Citroen AX | 22,966 | |||
| 31 | Toyota Corolla | 18,936 | 7% | 17,620 | |
| 32 | Renault 21 | 18,180 | |||
| 33 | Fiat Tipo | 17,621 | |||
| 34 | Fiat Panda | 17,232 | |||
| 35 | BMW 5 Series | 15,450 | |||
| 36 | Volvo 440/460/480 | 14,508 | |||
| 37 | Lada Samara | 14,127 | |||
| 38 | Lada Riva | 13,397 | |||
| 39 | Mercedes W124 | 13,041 | |||
| 40 | Austin Mini | 12,852 | -9% | 14,108 | |
| 41 | VW Passat | 11,028 | 58% | 6,980 | |
| 42 | Mercedes 190 | 11,024 | |||
| 43 | Mazda 626 | 10,565 | |||
| 44 | Jaguar XJ | 10,488 | |||
| 45 | Audi 80 | 9,955 | |||
| 46 | Mazda 323 | 9,788 | |||
| 47 | Honda Civic | 8,772 | |||
| 48 | Toyota Carina | 8,257 | 20% | 6,879 | |
| 49 | Seat Ibiza | 7,740 | |||
| 50 | Renault 25 | 7,405 | -12% | 8,420 | |
| 51 | VW Jetta | 7,230 | |||
| 52 | Hyundai Pony | 6,179 | |||
| 53 | Volvo 240 | 5,664 | |||
| 54 | Range Rover | 5,622 | -9% | 6,175 | |
| 55 | Audi 100 | 4,589 | 14% | 4,010 | |
| 56 | VW Scirocco | 3,699 | -24% | 4,870 | |
| 57 | Toyota Camry | 3,247 | -10% | 3,596 | |
| 58 | Citroen 2CV | 3,200 | |||
| 59 | BMW 7 Series | 3,104 | |||
| 60 | Honda Ballade | 3,028 | |||
| 61 | Mitsubishi Shogun | 3,019 | |||
| 62 | Toyota MR2 | 3,008 | -5% | 3,159 | |
| 63 | Renault Espace | 2,994 | |||
| 64 | Toyota Supra | 2,993 | 46% | 2,056 | |
| 65 | Mitsubishi Galant | 2,949 | |||
| 66 | Skoda Favorit | 2,852 | |||
| 67 | Isuzu Trooper | 2,795 | |||
| 68 | Honda Integra | 2,781 | |||
| 69 | Toyota Hilux | 2,707 | -16% | 3,211 | |
| 70 | Toyota Celica | 2,643 | -18% | 3,204 | |
| 71 | Fiat 126 | 2,549 | |||
| 72 | Mercedes S Class | 2,491 | |||
| 73 | Subaru L Series | 2,385 | |||
| 74 | Audi 90 | 2,250 | |||
| 75 | Nissan Prairie | 2,051 | |||
| 76 | Nissan 200 SX | 1,959 | |||
| 77 | Fiat Croma | 1,939 | |||
| 78 | Daihatsu Fourtrak | 1,869 | |||
| 79 | Mazda 121 | 1,823 | |||
| 80 | Vauxhall Belmont | 1,772 | |||
| 81 | Subaru Justy | 1,771 | |||
| 82 | Daihatsu Domino | 1,771 | |||
| 83 | Toyota Space Cruiser | 1,761 | 15% | 1,535 | |
| 84 | Suzuki Vitara | 1,744 | |||
| 85 | Porsche 944 | 1,730 | |||
| 86 | Hyundai Stellar | 1,719 | |||
| 87 | Mercedes SL | 1,432 | |||
| 88 | Fiat Regata | 1,254 | |||
| 89 | Lancia Delta | 1,253 | -25% | 1,668 | |
| 90 | Porsche 911 | 1,253 | |||
| 91 | Mitsubishi Space Wagon | 1,166 | |||
| 92 | Alfa Romeo 75 | 1,061 | |||
| 93 | Alfa Romeo 164 | 1,042 | |||
| 94 | Toyota Land Cruiser | 1,008 | 6% | 952 | |
| 95 | FSO 1300/1500 | 946 | |||
| 96 | Citroen Visa (e) | 920 | -77% | 3,990 | |
| 97 | Land Rover Discovery | 920 | |||
| 98 | Honda Legend | 896 | |||
| 99 | Lancia Y10 | 878 | |||
| 100 | Citroen CX | 862 |
Source: SMMT, Wikipedia, Autocar, Manufacturers.
Many thanks to Ryan P and Florian for all the sales figures!
