UK June 2022: Decline accelerates again at -24.3%, Vauxhall Corsa and Tesla Model Y on top, MG HS in Top 10

First Top 10 finish for the MG HS in the UK.

UK’s year-on-year fall continues to accelerate in June at -24.3% to 140,958 vs. -20.6% in May, -15.8% in April and -14.3% in March. This is the lowest March volume since 1996. The year-to-date tally halfway through the year is now down -11.9% to 802,079, the 2nd lowest in 30 years below H1 2020 (653,502) and since 1992 (768,745). The priority of car manufacturers continue to be on private sales, more profitable. They drop -21.7% for the month to 69,453 and 49.3% share vs. 47.7% a year ago whereas fleet registrations sink -27.6% to 67,242 and 47.7% share vs. 49.9% in June 2021. Business sales are down -5.3% to 4,263 and 3% share vs 2.4% last year. The year-to-date situation is even more dramatic with private sales actually up 4.2% to 428,034 and 53.4% share vs. 45.1% a year ago, whereas fleets are down -26.4% to 354,442 and 44.2% share vs. 52.9%. Business sales are up 8.8% to 19,063 and 2.4%.

In terms of propulsion/fuel type, petrol is down -28.2% to 62,005 and 44% share vs. 46.4% last year, diesel freefalls -46.7% to 8,003 and 5.7% share vs. 8.1% in June 2021, MHEV drops -30.2% to 25,521 and 18.1% share vs. 19.6% a year ago, HEV is down -7.3% to 14,978 and 10.6% share vs. 8.7% and PHEV implodes -36.5% to just 7,714 and 5.5% share vs. 6.5%. In contrast, BEV sales are up at +14.6% to 22,737 and 16.1% share vs. 10.7% a year ago. Year-to-date, petrol is down -20.7% to 351,174 and 43.8% share vs. 48.6% over the same period a year ago, diesel is off -50.6% to 46,028 and 5.7% share vs. 10.2%, MHEV drops -13.5% to 146,763 and 18.3% share vs. 18.7% and PHEV is down -11.9% to 51,263 and 6.4% share, unchanged. The stars of the market are HEV up 26.3% to 91,602 and 11.4% vs. 8% over H1 2021, and BEV surging 56% to 115,249 and 14.4% share vs. 8.1% a year ago, despite the UK being the only major European market without incentives for private BEV buyers.

Source: SMMT

In the brands ranking, despite imploding -40.1% Volkswagen is the best-seller with 8.3% share and the only marque to sell more than 10,000 units for the month. It climbs one spot to #3 on the YTD ladder as a result. Vauxhall (-1.6%) surges four spots on May to land in 2nd place for the second time this year alongside February with 7.1% share vs. 6% YTD. With Ford (-30.6%) at #3, this is also the 2nd time Vauxhall outsells Ford this year. BMW (-33.5%) has a forgettable month while Kia (+0.5%) is the only gainer in the Top 9 and remains at a remarkable 2nd place year-to-date. Tesla (+2.3%) is estimated to rank #10 this month. MG (+89.8%) returns to the 12th spot it holds year-to-date and equals its best-ever market share at 3.8%, also hit last March. Polestar (+239.3%), Dacia (+120.9%), Porsche (+102.6%), DS (+85.2%), Cupra (+15.8%) and Land Rover (+9.2%) are among significant gainers below.

Model-wise, the Vauxhall Corsa (+14.6%) cements its leadership with a third monthly win for the year. It distances the Tesla Model Y up to 3% share vs. 1.5% and #10 so far this year. The Mini Hatch (-12.9%) is up two spots on May to #3 ahead of the Nissan Qashqai (+46.8%) spectacularly lifted by its new generation, the VW Golf (-35.9%) and Ford Puma (-34.3%) both struggling. The latter however holds onto the 2nd spot YTD. The Kia Niro is up one spot to #7 both for the month and year-to-ate. Finally the MG HS breaks into the UK Top 10 for the first time and becomes the second new-era MG model to do so after the ZS ranked #6 in November 2021.

Previous month: UK May 2022: Ford (-2.9%) resists, places Kuga at #3 in market accelerating its fall (-20.6%)

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

Full June 2022 Top 40 All-brands and Top 10 models below.