UK November 2019: Vauxhall Corsa snaps 2nd win in past 3 months, Ford Kuga #2 in weakest November in 7 years

The Vauxhall Corsa is #1 in the UK for the 2nd time in the past 3 months.

The H1 2019 article has now been updated with the Top 180 models.

The UK new car market endures an 8th year-on-year drop in the past 9 months in November at -1.3% to 156.621 units, the lowest volume for the month in 7 years – since November 2012 as weak business and consumer confidence, economic uncertainty and confusion over diesel and clean air zones combine to hamper demand. Year-to-date volumes are now down -2.7% to 2.162.143, the lowest in 5 years – since the 2.137.910 of 2014. Once again it’s private sales (-6.1%) that solely weigh down the market at 65.114 units and 41.6% share vs. 43.7% a year ago in November 2018, a drop that isn’t compensated by (artificially?)  sturdy fleet sales (+2.8%) at 86.942 and 55.5% share vs. 53.3% just as business sales (-3.2%) slide to 4.565. Year-to-date, private registrations drop -3.4% to 963.409 and 44.6% vs. 44.9%, fleet sales edge up 0.3% to 1.143.199 and 52.9% vs. 51.3% and business sales implode -35.3% to 55.535.

Petrol sales remain perky at +2% to 97.441 units and 62.2% share vs. 60.2% a year ago who diesel registrations (-27.2%) continue to freefall to just 36.941 and 23.6% vs. 32%. Electrified vehicles break their all-time record share for the second month in a row at 10.3% vs. 6.8% a year ago thanks to volumes up 49.1% to 16.052 including 7.038 Hybrids (+15%), 4.652 EVs (+228.8%) and 4.362 PHEVs (+34.8%). Year-to-date, petrol is up 2.2% to 1.404.389 and 65% vs. 61.8%, diesel down -22% to 549.793 and 25.4% vs. 31.7% and electrified vehicles are up 17.9% to 156.074 and 7.2% share vs. 5.9% including 92.909 hybrids (+16.4%), 32.911 EVs (+135.6%) and 30.254 PHEVs (-21.5%).

Brand-wise, Ford (+10.7%) impresses with a double-digit gain but in fact only levels with its YTD share at 10.4%, distancing Volkswagen (-2.9%), BMW (-9.2%), Mercedes (-8.7%) and Vauxhall (-10.2%) all falling faster than the market. Audi (+37.3%) recovers from particularly weak year-ago post-WLTP volumes but drops one spot on October to #6 with Nissan (+2.3%) and Toyota (+1.4%) the only additional Top 10 carmakers in positive. Below, Porsche (+619.3%), DS (+412%), Lexus (+57.5%), MG (+28.8%), Jeep (+13.7%), Hyundai (+9.4%), Subaru (+8.3%) and Peugeot (+4.4%) impress just as Tesla soars 7 spots on last month to #22, which means the Tesla Model 3 misses out on a Top 10 finish for a couple of hundred sales.

In the models ranking, the Vauxhall Corsa (+65.6%) reappears in the Top 10… directly in pole position, scoring its second monthly win in the past 3 months just as the new generation is starting to spread into dealerships across the country. This is only the third win for the Corsa in the UK in te past 5 years alongside December 2014 and September 2019. The Ford Kuga (+72.5%) is the other surprise in the UK ranking this month, seemingly filling up on discounted out-going generations with perhaps a smidgen of new models sold as demos. This is the Kuga’s first-ever UK podium finish, eclipsing its previous best of #4 from August 2018. The Ford Fiesta (-23.7%) and VW Golf (-15.8%) are relegated to #3 and #4 respectively just as the Ford Focus (+25.2%) posts another outstanding month at #5. The Mercedes A-Class (-8.6%) drops outside of the Top 5 for only the 2nd time in the past 14 months after last June.

Previous month: UK October 2019: Private sales drag market down -6.7% to lowest since 2011, Vauxhall down -36.3%, Evoque in Top 10

One year ago: UK November 2018: VW snaps 4th win in past 6 months, Mercedes A-Class threepeats at record #3

Full November 2019 Top 40 brands and Top 10 models below.