UK July 2014: Nissan Qashqai hits best-ever #5, Mini back in Top10

Nissan Qashqai

* See the Top 10 best-selling models and Top 42 brands by clicking on the title! *

29th consecutive month of year-on-year growth for the UK market, a record uninterrupted positive streak that keeps impressing all analysts, me included. July is up 7% to 172,907 units, bringing the year-to-date total to 1,460,172 registrations (+10%) and prompting the SMMT to revise their Full Year 2014 projection from 2.4 to 2.45 million units, up 8% on 2013. If this figure is indeed reached, it would be the best annual volume in the UK since 2004 and the 5th best year ever in the history of automobile in the country below 2003 (2,579,050), 2004 (2,567,269), 2002 (2,563,631) and 2001 (2,458,769)… Keeping in mind these organisations’ projections always err on the conservative side, we can reasonably expect 2014 to end up above 2001 and rank 4th overall.

The Mini is among UK’s Top 10 best-sellers for the first time in 19 months.

In this euphoric context, the Ford Fiesta continues its march on top in spite of sales down 3% year-on-year, ahead of the Ford Focus (-17%), Vauxhall Corsa (+10%) and VW Golf (-1%) like in the year-to-date ranking. Boosted by the new model, the Nissan Qashqai breaks into the monthly UK Top 5 for only the 4th time in the history of the locally-produced nameplate after June 2010, July 2010 and January 2013 at 4,729 units and 2.7% (+10%). The Vauxhall Astra is down a harsh 31%, the Audi A3 is up 3 spots on June to a cool #7, the Fiat 500 remains at #8 and the Mini is back in the Top 10 for the first time since December 2012 thanks to the new generation with 2,384 sales and 1.4%.

Skoda jumps 54% year-on-year to #8 brand overall.

Brand-wise, Ford (-8%), Vauxhall (+3%) and Volkswagen (stable) lead but lose share, while below Audi (+12%), Nissan (+14%), BMW (+19%), Mercedes (+10%) and Skoda (+54%) all deliver outstanding year-on-year gains. Seat is up 42% to #15, Renault continues its recovery at +76% in 16th place, Volvo is up 32% to #20, Mitsubishi up 197% to #25, Jeep up 109% to #30, MG up 652% to #31, Maserati up 705% to #33 and Infiniti up 368% to #34.

Previous month: UK June 2014: Vauxhall Insignia up to #7 in market up another 6%

One year ago: UK July 2013: Vauxhall Astra up to #3, Nissan Juke #9

Full July 2014 Top 10 models and Top 42 brands Ranking Tables below.