UK September 2024: BEVs at 20.5% share, Kia Sportage back to #1

The Kia Sportage is the best-selling vehicle in the UK in September.

In the all important ’74’ plate change month of September, the UK new car market edges up 1% year-on-year to 275,239, the best September since 2020 but still -19.8% off pre-Covid September 2019. The year-to-date tally is now up 4.3% to 1,514,094. Private sales continue to under perform at -1.8% to 120,272 and 43.7% share vs. 44.9% in September 2023 whereas fleets gain 3.7% to 149,095 and 54.2% share vs. 52.7%. Meanwhile business sales are down -8.4% to 5,872. Year-to-date, private sales drop a hefty -9.4% to 588,616 and 38.9% share vs. 44.8% a year ago just as fleets surge 16.3% to 892,355 and 58.9% share vs. 52.9% last year and business sales are down -4.2% to 33,123.

Looking at sales by propulsion, PHEVs are the best performers this month with a 32.1% year-on-year lift to 24,486 and 8.9% share vs. 6.8% a year ago. Helped by heavy discounting, BEVs surge 24.4% to 56,387 units, their highest ever monthly volume. They hold 20.5% share for the month vs. 16.6% last year. HEVs are up 2.6% to 39,017 and 14.2% share vs. 13.9%, petrol is down -9.3% to 137,793 and 50.1% share vs. 55.7% and diesel off -7.1% to 17,556 and 6.4% share vs. 6.9%. Year-to-date, PHEVs once again ae the most dynamic at +26.2% to 124,943 and 8.3% share vs. 6.8% over the same period a year ago, while HEVs climbs 13.6% to 207,383 and 13.7% share vs. 12.6% and BEVs gain 13.2% to 269,931 and 17.8% share vs. 16.4%. Petrol edges down -0.8% to 814,188 and 53.8% share vs. 56.5% and diesel sinks -12% to 97,649 and 6.4% share vs. 7.6%.

Source: SMMT

In the brands ranking, Volkswagen (+2.9%) keeps the lead at 8.3% share, cementing its YTD domination (8.5%). Kia (+3.7%) advances two spots on August to #2, its best performance since March 2022. Audi (-7.8%) struggles at #3 but somehow manages to snap the 2nd spot YTD in the process. Toyota (+1.8%) is up three ranks on last month to #4 with a solid Mercedes (+13.7%) rounding out the Top 5. Skoda (+32%) and Hyundai (+20.1%) also beat the market in the remainder of the Top 10. Further down, Jeep (+149.8%), Polestar (+113.8%), Honda (+58.1%), Land Rover (+47%), Volvo (+41.8%) and Tesla (+19.1%) stand out. Cupra (+15.9%) outsells Seat (+9%). Newcomer Omoda is up 7 spots to #33 with over 1,000 sales.

The Kia Sportage (+30.4%) brilliantly reclaims the models top spot for the fourth time in the past 5 months but this is still not enough to catch the Ford Puma (-17.4%) in the year-to-date order. The Nissan Juke (+36.6%) reappears inside the Top 10 directly at #3 and now ranks #4 year-to-date. The Tesla Model Y (+43.9%) excels at #4 ahead of the Hyundai Tucson (+27.6%) also in great shape. The Nissan Qashqai (-38.8%) crumbles down but ensures the Top 6 is 100% SUVs like it was a year ago. The VW Tiguan (+23.2%), Polo (+5.2%) and Golf (+3.8%) all outstage the market below.

Previous month: UK August 2024: Volkswagen and Ford Puma dominate, Omoda launches

One year ago: UK September 2023: Fleets lift market up 21%, 6 SUVs in Top 6, MG places two models in Top 10

Full September 2024 Top 45 All brands and Top 10 models below.