UK August 2026: Jaecoo now Top 10 brand, places 7 at #2 and 5 at #4

The Jaecoo 5 is up to a record 4th place in the UK in August.

The UK new car market records a 9th straight month of year-on-year gains and the best August volume since the introduction of the biannual plate change. Registrations are up 13.7% to 94,226 units for the month and up 9.8% to 1,388,735 so far this year. This is the highest 8 months volume in the UK since the 1,519,016 units of 2019. Private sales are up 19% to 38,460 and 40.8% share vs. 39% a year ago while fleets advance 10.1% to 53,934 and 57.2% vs. 59.1% last year while business sales soar 14.5% to 1,842 and 2% share vs. 1.9%. Year-to-date, private sales are up 12.5% to 546,798 and 39.4% share vs. 38.4% over the same period in 2025, fleets are up 7.6% to 809,511 and 58.3% share vs. 59.4% and business sales are up 18.8% to 32,426 and 2.3% share vs. 2.2%.

The Omoda 5 ranks at #6 in the UK in August.

Looking at sales by propulsion, petrol is down -3.5% to 36,048 and 38.3% share vs. 45.1% in August 2025 and diesel is up 4% to 4,478 and 4.8% share vs. 5.2%. Electrified vehicles single-handedly pull the market into clear positive territory. HEVs are up 26.3% to 11,940 and 12.7% share vs. 11.4% a year ago, PHEVs soar 39.8% to 13,707 and 14.5% share vs. 11.8% last year and BEVs are up 27.7% to 28,063 and 29.8% share vs. 26.5% in August 2025. This is the second highest monthly share of the year so far, following a recurring seasonal spike seen every August since 2023 and helped by lower overall volumes amplifying percentage shifts. BEV shares for August are: 2023: 20.1%, 2024: 22.6% and 2025: 26.5%. Year-to-date BEV sales are up 28.6% to 355,746 and 25.6% share vs. 21.9% over the same period in 2025.

As for the brands ranking, Volkswagen (-3.1%) disappoints but still holds 8.1% of the market while Ford (-8.3%) falls faster YoY but climbs back up three spots on July to #2, its best ranking since February. MG (+93.5%) shoots up to #3 with 5.3% share, its best performance so far this year. BMW (-5%) stays in 4th place while Kia (+19.7%) is very solid YoY but falls three ranks on last month to #5. It however remains at #2 year-to-date. Toyota (+26.5%) and Skoda (+18.1%) also shine but the event of the month is the arrival of Jaecoo (+194.2%) inside the UK Top 10 for the first time at #10. It distances BYD (+119.8%) slipping down one spot to #11. Vauxhall (+34.5%) and Renault (+12.7%) also impress below while newcomer Chery breaks into the Top 20 for the first time at #17.

First Top 10 finish for the Mercedes CLA.

Model-wise, the Ford Puma (+13.8%) follows the market and is faithful to its pole position at 3% share. The #2 this month is the Jaecoo 7 (+47.9%), still #3 year-to-date, followed by the MG HS (+56.9%). The event of the month is the 4th place of the Jaecoo 5, up from #7 last month which was its very first Top 10 appearance. Below the Kia Sportage (-14.2%), still #2 year-to-date, the Omoda 5 scores its second ever Top 10 finish in the UK at #6, a ranking it also held last April. The Mercedes CLA cracks the UK Top 10 for the first time at #9 thanks to its BEV variant accounting for 62% of its August volume. For its part the Vauxhall Frontera is inside the Top 10 only for the 2nd time after last May (#9), 66% are BEVs.

Previous month: UK July 2026: Jaecoo 5 breaks into Top 10, Renault 5 best-selling BEV

One year ago: UK August 2025: Jaecoo 7 up to 6th place

Full August 2026 Top 55 All brands, Top 10 models and Top 10 BEV models below.