Best-selling cars 2026: wider choice drives buyer demand in May

The Ford Puma was the biggest-selling car of 2024 and 2025 — and the former What Car? Car of the Year shows little sign of slowing. And despite its advancing years, we think it’s still one of the best small SUVs on the market.

With fantastic agility and impressive pace, there aren’t many cars that provide a more enjoyable driving experience than the Puma. What’s more, all of its engines are assisted by mild hybrid technology to boost efficiency.

If comfort is a top priority, then you’ll be better off with a Skoda Kamiq or VW T-Roc, which are both fitted with softer suspension, but the Nissan Juke will jostle you round more. The Puma also benefits from a reasonably plush interior, and it offers practical boot space.

Our favourite version 1.0 Ecoboost MHEV ST-Line

List price £28,045
Best price £24,995

May sales 4019

Read our in-depth Ford Puma review

It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of the Kia Sportage – in fact, we like it so much we've named it our Family SUV of the Year two years on the trot. Not only is it spacious and exceedingly practical, it also offers great value for money.

Our favourite engine is the 1.6-litre hybrid, which has recently received a boost in power. It pumps out 235bhp, and is considerably punchier than the entry-level non-hybrid, so you won’t have any issues getting up to speeds no matter the journey.

Perhaps one of the reasons why the Sportage is so popular is its lofty driving position, which will please SUV fans. It’s also competitively priced, with entry-level models undercutting the likes of the Ford Kuga and Hyundai Tucson.

Our favourite version 1.6T Hybrid Pure

List price £34,895
Best price £32,495

May sales 3439

Read our in-depth Kia Sportage review

The Vauxhall Corsa has long been one of the biggest sellers in the UK, so it's no surprise that it's a regular fixture in the top 10 best-sellers list. It owes its popularity to its ability to appeal to everyone, thanks to its wide variety of engines and trims.

Our favourite engine in the Corsa is the 99bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine, which acts as the entry point to the range. It's flexible and competent at motorway speeds, although some rival small cars, like the Audi A1 and Volkswagen Polo, are more comfortable.

There are four trim levels available with the Corsa, but even with all that choice, we still think the entry-level 'Yes' is the one to go for. It comes well-equipped with 16in alloy wheels, heated front seats, cruise control, air-conditioning and a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel.

Our favourite version 1.2 Turbo Yes

List price £20,240
Best price £15,495

May sales 3075

Read our in-depth Vauxhall Corsa review

The Jaecoo 7 is somewhat of a new kid on the block, having only been launched in the UK last year. However, in its first few months of being on the market, it has recorded an impressive number of sales. In fact, Jaecoo as a brand outsold well-established marques such as Mini, Renault and Volvo in the UK in January, and it was second only to MG in sales among Chinese car brands.

You can have your Jaecoo 7 with either petrol or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) power, the latter of which is well-priced and delivers a competitive official electric-only range of 57 miles – more than the rival Hyundai Tucson PHEV, but not as far as the equivalent MG HS or Volkswagen Tiguan.

Like the Kia Sportage, the Jaecoo 7 offers a lofty driving position that's popular with SUV fans, and it's spacious inside. However, it's let down by its subpar driving experience, with its unsettled ride and sloppy handling.

Our favourite version 1.5T SHS 18.3kWh Luxury

List price £35,170
Best price £31,499

May sales 3027

Read our in-depth Jaecoo 7 review

The fact that the Qashqai is such a big seller shouldn’t come as a surprise – it practically launched the family SUV trend that has taken over the car industry, rivalling the hugely popular Jaecoo 7 and Kia Sportage.

Unlike those cars, our favourite version of the Qashqai comes assisted by mild hybrid technology to help keep your fuel bills low.

The Qashqai does everything you’d expect it to – it offers that fantastic driving position that SUV fans love, and it’s decently practical. Our recommended trim, N-Connecta, comes with plenty of kit, including 18in alloy wheels, a fully digital driver’s display and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Our favourite version 1.3 DiG-T MH N-Connecta

List price £33,105
Best price £25,990

May sales 2859

Read our in-depth Nissan Qashqai review

The VW Golf has a reputation of being the quintessential family car, and that’s because it strikes the perfect balance of comfort and practicality that makes it ideal for both long and short journeys.

It’s available with petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid power, but the mid-range 1.5-litre petrol should serve the needs of most buyers. Company car drivers, however, might be tempted by the low tax advantages of the plug-in hybrid.

The Golf feels right at home around town, with light steering which can feel a bit flimsy on faster, twistier roads. You can remedy that with some of the higher trim levels, though, which offer a larger selection of driving modes.

Our favourite version 1.5 TSI Match

List price £29,150
Best price £23,353

May sales 2637

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Golf review

The Mini Cooper is one of just two cars on this list built right here in the UK — at least in petrol guise — which makes sense, because it is something of a British icon.

Indeed, this small car has a lot of history behind it, and even in its fourth generation, it continues to top the sales charts. Currently, you can have your Mini Cooper with petrol or battery electric power, and there are also high-powered John Cooper Works editions on offer.

Our favourite is the entry-level Cooper C thanks to its feisty 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, fun driving manners and quiet ride.

Our favourite version 1.5C Classic

List price £25,485
Best price £25,485

May sales 2605

Read our in-depth Mini Cooper review

The Tiguan was once Volkswagen's biggest global seller, so it's not shocking that UK buyers love it so much. The current generation is stylish and modern on the outside, while offering plenty of space for families inside – but it is at the pricier end of its segment, which means it has a lot of upmarket rivals to contend with.

You can have your Tiguan with mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, diesel or petrol power, so you shouldn't have many issues finding a version that suits you. Our favourite is the mild hybrid eTSI 150, which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a small electric motor to bolster performance and fuel economy. It's pleasantly peppy for everyday driving.

Inside the Tiguan, there's plenty of head and leg room for even the tallest of occupants. However, if you need space for more, you'll have to opt for the larger VW Tayron, because the Tiguan Allspace seven-seater no longer exists.

Our favourite version 1.5 eTSI 150 Life

List price £38,920
Best price £32,800

May sales 2395

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Tiguan review

Even before you factor in the substantial discounts available, the Vauxhall Frontera is a very competitively priced small SUV. You'll often pay less to put one on your driveway than you would for the Ford Puma or Volkswagen T-Roc.

There are two 1.2-litre petrol engines to choose from, both of which have mild hybrid assistance to help lower your fuel bills. It's the entry-level 108bhp option which we'd recommend for most buyers, because this offers gutsy enough performance for most situations – the 0-62mph sprint times a sprightly 110sec – while keeping costs down as much as possible.

For the same reason, we'd stick with entry-level Design trim, which comes with 16in alloy wheels, cruise control and manual air conditioning.

Don't expect the Frontera to be as good to drive as the best small SUVs. It's capable enough, but the ride can often be unsettled and the steering is pretty vague.

Our favourite version 1.2 Design e-DCT

List price £24,870
Target price £22,565

May sales 2372

Read our in-depth Vauxhall Frontera review

The Tucson consistently ranks among our favourite family SUVs, and is only really let down by a slightly higher list price than rivals, and not being quite as good to weave along a country road.

There are plenty of power options to choose from, all built around a 1.6-litre petrol engine, which you can have with mild hybrid, full hybrid or plug-in hybrid power. The latter will be of particular interest to company car drivers, because its official electric-only range of 43 miles puts it in the lowest tax band of any Tucson.

Inside the Tucson, you'll find supportive seats and high-quality materials. Indeed, upgrades made as part of a mid-life facelift in 2024 did a lot to lift the ambience inside, and although it's still not up to the standard of, say, the Volvo XC40, it still represents a nice place to be.

Our favourite version 1.6 T-GDi Element

List price £30,9985
Best price £26,660

May sales 2194

Read our in-depth Hyundai Tucson review