8:43 am, April 14, 2025
The number of vehicles on UK roads rose to its highest ever level last year with electrified models increasingly making their presence felt in the market.
That is according to fresh data from the SMMT, which has found that the British motorparc grew by 1.4% to 41,964,268 in 2024.
The trade body’s figures also revealed that a record 36,165,401 cars were in use last year – up 1.3% or 470,556 units.
The result marks the third consecutive year of growth and the second-biggest volume gain since 2016.
Unsurprisingly, the Ford Fiesta was the most common car on British roads, with 1.43m units, ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa on 1.02m.
Meanwhile, van use also grew to record levels, up 1.8% to 5,102,180 units, with more than one million LCVs enterring Britain’s vehicle parc since 2015.
Heavy goods vehicle volumes remained almost unchanged and were down by just 0.1% – or 364 units – at 625,509 units.
Bus and coach volumes fell by the same percentage to 71,718 units, taking the UK’s public transport fleet to its smallest level since records began.
Most common cars of 2024
- Ford Fiesta – 1,435,239
- Vauxhall Corsa – 1,020,306
- Ford Focus – 1,004,123
- Volkswagen Golf – 995,753
- Volkswagen Polo – 717,372
- Nissan Qashqai – 702,050
- Mini – 688,959
- Vauxhall Astra – 667,524
- Toyota Yaris – 533,755
- Audi A3 – 523,399
When it came to electrified models, 2024 saw a 34.6% increase in plug-in vehicles (BEV and plug-in hybrid). which accounted for for one in 20 (5.1%), or 2,157,360, vehicles in use.
The SMMT says that manufacturer discounting has driven up demand for BEVs, with the powertrain remaining the fastest growing sector of the parc, breaking the million motor milestone as volumes soared by 38.9% to 1.33m units.
As a result, BEVs comprised 3.7% of cars in use in 2024, up a full percentage point on 2023.
Despite the growth, conventionally fuelled cars remained the most dominant powertrains, with petrol-powered motors rising by 1.0% to 21 million, with a a market share of 58.2%.
However, diesel volumes fell 4.4% to 11.6 million – making up 32.1% of cars in use – and marking the fuel type’s fifth straight year of decline.
Reacting to the results, Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, ‘Britain’s vehicle parc is growing, providing essential mobility for the nation while reducing its environmental impact.
‘However, there is scope to push environmental improvements much faster as motorists are holding onto their cars for longer, some one and half years longer on average, than only five years ago.
‘Drivers need more incentives and greater confidence in infrastructure investment if we are to replace the high volumes of older high-emission cars with zero-emission alternatives.
‘Success will keep the country on the move while driving up economic growth from every business dependent on road transport.’
