UK February 2018: Ford ignores surrounding gloom at +22%, Fiesta and Kuga up

The Ford Fiesta hits its highest market share in the UK in almost 4 years.

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The Brexit effect is nowhere near disappearing in the UK with an 11th consecutive month of year-on-year decline in February at -2.8% to 80.805 registrations, the weakest February score in the UK since 2015. Year-to-date, sales are down 5.1% to 244.420, and the situation is about to get much worse as the number plate change month of March hit all-time record levels in 2017 as registrations were pulled forward to avoid VED changes. Back to February: for once, private sales pull the market up at -2% to 35.277 units and 43.7% share vs. 43.3% a year ago, while fleet are down 2.5% to 44.554 and 55.1% share vs. 55% a year ago and business sales are down an abysmal 30.4% to just 974 units. Year-to-date, fleet sales behave the best at -2.1% to 134.073 and 54.9% share vs. 53.1% a year ago, with private sales down 7.1% to 104.682 and 42.8% share vs. 43.7% and business sales are down 29.8% to 5.665 and 2.3% share vs. 3.1%. Diesel sales continue their freefall at -23.5% to 28.317 in February and -24.9% and 87.020 year-to-date, as opposed to a 14.4% rise for petrol sales this month to 48.941 and +10.4% year-to-date to 144.833. Alternatively Fuelled Vehicles (AFV) gain 7.2% in February to 3.547 and 4.4% share, up 18.7% year-to-date to 12.567 and 5.1% share.

The Ford Kuga breaks into the UK Top 5 for the first time this month.

Brand-wise, Ford stuns with a fantastic 22% year-on-year gain to 14.9% share and over 12.000 sales. Volkswagen drops 4% but ranks #2 brand for the 9th time in the past 10 months, and its direct followers are the only two other carmakers posting double-digit gains in the Top 10: BMW (+10%) and Audi (+17%). Mercedes (-0.2%) outsells Vauxhall lodging another paltry month, down 23% to #6 for the third time in the past five months. Further down, Dacia (+139%), Porsche (+108%), MG (+68%), Mitsubishi (+45%), Seat (+36%) and Subaru (+29%) post the most spectacular sales uplifts while on the other end of the scale, DS (-56%), Nissan (-54%), Infiniti (-50%), Ssangyong (-38%), Renault (-37%), Bentley (-28%) and Jeep (-25%) struggle the most.

BMW sales are up 10% year-on-year in February, with the 3 Series in the Top 10.

In the models ranking, the Ford Fiesta confirms it is definitely on the mend with the new generation now taking a grip in the market. Up a stunning 21% to 6.4% share, the Fiesta delivers its highest market share and year-on-year gain since August 2014 (6.5% share and up 42%). In 2nd place, the VW Golf (-1%) posts a 10th consecutive month inside the UK Top 2, followed by the Ford Focus (+4%). The Mercedes A-Class gains two spots on January to rank #4, its highest ever UK ranking also hit last April. The Ford Kuga is up four ranks on last month to break into the monthly UK Top 5 for the very first time, beating its previous record of #6 hit last August. Below the Vauxhall Mokka X, Mini and Mercedes C-Class, the BMW 3 Series snaps a third Top 10 ranking in the past 9 months after last June and November, even though it drops 13% year-on-year.

Previous month: UK January 2018: 10th consecutive year-on-year decline at -6.3%

One year ago: UK February 2017: Golf pushes Volkswagen to #2 YTD, stable market

Full February 2018 Top 42 brands and Top 10 models below.