9:32 am, April 4, 2025
Last month was the best-performing March since 2019 with new car registrations soaring by 12.4%, latest figures show.
Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that 357,103 cars rolled out of showrooms wearing the latest 25-plate registration.
March saw a recovery in private buyers purchasing cars with a 14.5% increase, while fleet registrations rose by 11.5%, and business buyers dropped by 0.3%.
Registrations of battery electric vehicle unsurprisingly rose by 43.2% as manufacturers slashed prices and incentivised customers, while hybrids were up 27.7% and PHEVs rose by 37.9%.
Battery EVs snatched a 19.4% market share, but the SMMT countered this by stating that the figure is some eight percentage points behind the ZEV Mandate target for this year, and the market share figure would have been artificially affected by customers racing to beat the VED hike on EVs from April 1.
The SMMT added that last week’s Spring Statement was a ‘lost opportunity’ to introduce incentives on new EVs.
The Ford Puma was March’s best-seller with 11,132 units, followed by the Kia Sportage (7,874) and Vauxhall’s Corsa (6,851).
The Puma remains the year-to-date top-seller, too, with 14,930 units. The Sportage is second with 12,866 and the Nissan Qashqai is third with 11,792.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: ‘A welcome return to growth, and substantial growth at that, is a fillip for the industry. Moreover, with March being the best month ever for electric car registrations, there is reason for optimism.
‘Manufacturers remain committed to the market decarbonisation the country and the environment demands, but we need sustained growth, not a short-term bubble driven by unsustainable manufacturer discounting and drivers rushing to beat a tax hike. Without substantive government support for consumers, the current regulatory regime is undeliverable.
‘A rapid response to the government consultation is therefore needed – one that adds flexibilities that reflect the natural level of demand and supports the industry to deliver growth in the face of a tough set of global challenges.’
