JULY 2025 UK NEW CAR REGISTRATIONS HITS A LITTLE BUMP. Short new car news.

The UK new car market in July declined -5% to 140,154 new car registrations according to the latest figured from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)..

This is the weakest performance for the month since 2022 and is -10.8% lower than in 2019 before the pandemic.

Still, there was good news for plug-in hybrid vehicles which saw an 33% increase in July. Year-to-date the new car market is up 2.4% with 1.18 million registrations so far. More than a quarter of a million are battery electric vehicles.

July’s dip shows yet again the new car market’s sensitivity to external factors, and the pressing need for consumer certainty. Confirming which models qualify for the new EV grant, alongside compelling manufacturer discounts on a huge choice of exciting new vehicles, should send a strong signal to buyers that now is the time to switch. That would mean increased demand for the rest of this year and into next, which is good news for the industry, car buyers and our environmental ambitions.

Said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive.

Best selling car in July was the Kia Sportage.