UK June 2021: Tesla Model 3 best-seller, Ford Puma up to record #3 in market up 28%

The Tesla Model 3 is the best-selling vehicle in the UK for the 4th time.

New car sales in the UK gain 28% year-on-year in June to 186.128 units, leading to a year-to-date volume up 39.2% to 909.973. However June 2021 volumes remain well down on pre-pandemic June 2019 at -16.7% vs. 14.7% in May and -12.1% in April. June 2021 is also down -16.4% on the June 2010-2019 average (222.652) and the year-to-date tally is down a scathing -26.8% on the January-June 2010-2019 average (1.242.944). Private sales (+21.8%) trail the market at 88.715 and 47.7% share vs. 50.1% in June 2020 while fleet sales (+33.5%) are more solid at 92.909 and 49.9% share vs. 47.9% a year ago. Business sales fare best at +53.4% to 4.504 and 2.4% share vs. 2%. Over H1 2021, private sales are weak once again at +30.6% to 410.698 and 45.1% share vs. 48.1% over H1 2020, fleet sales perform better at +47.8% to 481.258 and 52.9% share vs. 49.8% a year ago and business sales gain 35.7% to 18.017 and 2% share, identical to H1 2020.

As for fuel types, petrol edges down -1.7% to 86.411 and 46.4% share vs. 60.5% in June 2020, diesel implodes -34.7% to 15.027 and 8.1% share vs. 15.8% a year ago, MHEV (mild Hybrid) shoots up 251.5% to 36.559 and 19.6% share vs. 7.2% in June 2020, BEV is up 122.9% to 19.842 and 10.7% share vs. 6.1%, HEV is up 57.9% to 16.150 and 8.7% share vs. 7% and PHEV soars 145.7% to 12.139 and 6.5% share vs. 3.4% a year ago. All-in-all, electrified vehicles (BEV+PHEV+HEV+MHEV) gain 147.5% to 84.690 units and 45.5% share vs. 23.7% in June 2020. Year-to-date, petrol is up 12.7% to 442.583 but drops to 48.6% share vs. 60.1% in H1 2020, diesel sinks -21.7% to just 93.087 units and 10.2% share vs. 18.2% a year ago, MHEV soars 225.4% to 169.656 and 18.6% share vs. 8% in H1 2020, BEV is up 138.7% to 73.893 and 8.1% share vs. 4.7%, HEV is up 84.9% to 72.547 and 8% share vs. 6% and PHEV surges 196.9% to 58.207 and 6.4% vs. 3%. Total Electrified sales are up 163.7% to 374.303 and 41.1% share vs. 21.7% over H1 2020.

Source: SMMT

In the brands ranking, Volkswagen (+56.5%) cements its newfound leadership with a strong 10.5% share identical to May and compared with 9.4% so far in 2021. VW now has a 10.711-unit advantage over Ford halfway through 2021 and is on track to secure its first ever annual crown in the UK. Audi (+78.4%) sports the largest gain in the Top 8 and repeats at a record 2nd place overall, outselling Ford (+4.5%) for the second month running and ever. BMW (+33.8%) lurks just 7 sales below Ford at #4 while Toyota (+3%) climbs two spots on May to #5, distancing Vauxhall (+11.3%) and Kia (+66.8%). Mercedes (-6.1%) endures the only year-on-year decline in the Top 15 while Hyundai (+112.3%) shines at #9. Further down, Subaru (+388.6%), Mazda (+135.5%), Suzuki (+101.8%), Tesla (+101.3%), Honda (+98.2%) and Fiat (+70%) stand out while Genesis appears at #41 with 27 sales.

Model-wise, the Tesla Model 3 (+117.2%) spectacularly snaps a 4th ever monthly win in the UK after April, May and December 2020 and holds 2.9% of the market. It distances the VW Golf (+52.2%) also in good shape and now ranking #3 year-to-date. The Ford Puma is up to #3 which is a new UK ranking record, eclipsing its previous best of #4 hit in August 2020 and April 2021. The Vauxhall Corsa (-3.4%) and Ford Fiesta (-13.1%) follow, both going against the positive market to see their share reduce drastically to 2.4% and 2% respectively. The Corsa remains in the YTD lead with a 2.888-unit advantage over the Fiesta. The VW Polo (+52%) is down three spots on May to #6 but outpaces the market nevertheless while the Toyota Yaris (-15.6%) is up to #7 but down year-to-date, clinching the #10 spot YTD in the process. The Kia Sportage (+108.7%) more than doubles its sales year-on-year at #10.

Previous month: UK May 2021: Audi outsells Ford for first time, VW Golf best-seller in market down -14.8% on two years ago

One year ago: UK June 2020: Toyota and Yaris both sign first ever podium in shy market restart (-34.9%)

Full June 2021 Top 42 brands and Top 10 models below.