UK March 2023: Tesla Model Y #1, Nissan (+66.7%) places Qashqai and Juke atop YTD charts, market up 18.2%

The Nissan Juke is up to #2 year-to-date in the UK.

March is a crucial month for new car sales in the UK as it marks the biannual new license plate release and is traditionally the biggest month of the year. The 2023 promotion is a good one with sales up 18.2% year-on-year to 287,825, yet we remain way below pre-pandemic levels (458,054 units in March 2019), as per the graph below. The first quarter result is up 18.4% to 494,260 sales. Private sales only edge up 1.4% to 139,223 units and 48.4% share vs. 56.4% in March 2022 but it’s fleet sales that push the market up at +40.9% to 140,002 and 48.6% share vs. 40.8% a year ago. Business sales (fleets under 25 vehicles) are up 26% to 8,600 and 3% share vs. 2.8%. Over Q1, here again private sales are weak at +0.4% to 228,253 and 46.2% share vs. 54.5% over Q1 2022, whereas fleet sales jump 40.7% to 253,280 and 51.2% share vs. 43.1% over the same period last year. Business sales advance 26.5% to 12,727 and 2.6% share vs. 2.4%.

This month petrol sales are up 16.5% to 119,278 and 41.4% share vs. 42% last year, diesel sinks -19.9% to 11,024 and 3.8% share vs. 5.6%, MHEV grow 25.8% to 55,712 and 19.4% share vs. 18.2%, HEV gain 34.3% to 37,252 and 12.9% share vs. 11.4%, PHEV are up 11.8% to 17.933 and 6.2% share vs. 6.6% a year ago. Finally BEV sales are up 18.6% to reach a record monthly volume of 46,626, corresponding to 16.2% share vs. 16.1% in March 2022. Year-to-date, petrol is up 18.4% to 210,559 units for an unchanged 42.6% share, diesel is down -17% to 19,652 and 4% share vs. 5.7% over Q1 2022, MHEV are up 21.8% to 90,190 and 18.3% share vs. 17.7%, HEV are up 36.9% to 65,861 and 13.3% share vs. 11.5%, PHEV edge up 6.7% to 31,765 and 6.4% share vs. 7.1% and BEVs climb 18.8% to 76,233 for an unchanged 15.4% share.

Source: SMMT

Over in the brands ranking, Volkswagen (+48.7%) reclaims the lead but its market share, at 7.6%, is lower than YTD (8.3%). Ford (+14.5%) is in 2nd place despite trailing the market as does Kia (+10.6%) back up 6 spots on February to #3 and #4 year-to-date vs. #6 over the Full Year 2022. Toyota (+19.5%) edges past the market growth at #4 with Audi (+24.3%) also in good shape and rounding out the Top 5. Nissan (+66.7%) manages the largest year-on-year gain in the Top 10 (and Top 20) and climbs four ranks on last month to #6 both in March and YTD. MG (+30.6%) is back inside the Top 10 and delivers its largest ever monthly volume at 12,232. Hyundai (+23%) also shines whereas Mercedes (+9.2%) and BMW (-3.3%) underperform. Vauxhall (-6%) is outside the Top 10 for the second time this year after January at #11. Below, Cupra (+190.8%), Polestar (+105.3%), Honda (+70.1%), Land Rover (+63.9%) and Mini (+46.8%) stand out.

Model-wise, as it was the case a year ago and for the third time (add December 2022), the Tesla Model Y (+25.7%) is the overall best-seller with an improved 2.8% share. It now ranks #4 year-to-date vs. #3 over the Full Year 2022. The Nissan Juke soars to #2 which is a new ranking record for the nameplate (previous best #4 last month and in December 2021). Even more strikingly, the Juke is also up to #2 year-to-date. The Nissan Qashqai (+25.1%) returns inside the Top 10 at #3 and now ranks #1 YTD like it did over the FY2022. Yes, this means the UK YTD charts is a Nissan 1-2! The Kia Sportage (+29%) climbs to #4 ahead of the Hyundai Tucson (+16.5%) and Ford Puma (+18.9%), meaning the monthly Top 6 is 100% SUV for the first time in UK history. Leader last month, the Vauxhall Corsa (+1.3%) falls to #7 in March and #3 YTD. Below a very strong Mini (+43.2%), the Toyota Yaris Cross scores its first ever UK Top 10 finish at #9. 

Previous month: UK February 2023: Skoda (#6), Vauxhall Mokka (#2) break records in market up 26.2%

One year ago: UK March 2022: Tesla Model Y and Model 3 top market down -14.3%

Full March 2023 Top 44 All brands and Top 10 models below.