Best-selling cars in the UK: new car market starts 2026 with growth
The new car market grew in January, recording the best start to a year since the Covid-19 pandemic...
The new car market started the year off with growth last month, with 144,127 registrations, according to the latest official figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) – a 3.4% increase on the year before. Indeed, it's the most successful start to a year since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Uptake grew across all buyer types, with demand from private buyers rising by 4.5% to 52,387 (36%) registrations. Fleet customers accounted for the largest portion of the market, at 61.2%, with growth of 1.6%, while business customers accounted for the remainder.
Electrified cars – which include electric cars (EVs) and hybrids – accounted for nearly half (46.9%) of all new car registrations, but combustion models – petrol and diesel – still make up a narrow majority.
Plug-in hybrids remain the fastest-growing sector, with sales increasing by 47.3% to take a total of 9% of all new registrations. Sales of hybrids grew by 4.8% to a total market share of 13.4%.
Despite accounting for a slim majority of the market at a combined 53.2%, petrol and diesel vehicles continued to decline in January, down 1.9% and 8.8% respectively.
Meanwhile, sales of fully electric vehicles increased by just 0.1% to 29,654 units, meaning they accounted for 20.6% of the market – the lowest figure since April last year. The SMMT partly puts this down to a strong 2025 January performance that saw buyers scramble to purchase EVs to avoid the new tax rates imposed by the Government from April that year.
According to the Government's ZEV Mandate, EVs must make up 33% of all new car registrations this year. With a 23.4% market share overall last year, sales lagged behind the 28% target for 2025, meaning there is a lot of work to do to meet legislation.
The SMMT predicts a more optimistic year for EV uptake, with these vehicles expected to make up 28.5% of the market by the end of the year. This would mark a considerable improvement on 2025, but would still lag behind government targets.
Almost half a million (473,348) new electric cars were registered in 2025, which is more than 2021 and 2022 combined. In total, electric cars accounted for 23.4% of new cars registered last year — expected to place the UK as the second largest EV market in Europe — but it's still behind the 28% set out in the ZEV Mandate.
The Electric Car Grant has stoked demand for EVs, but only a quarter of new models are eligible for the incentive. Still, demand has been blunted by the planned introduction of a new pay-per-mile scheme for EV drivers, dubbed 'eVED', in 2028.
But which models sold the most last month? Below we've listed the top 10. And if you like the look of any of them, just follow the links to read more or see how much you can save on the best new car deals.
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Strengths
- Lower-spec models are great value
- Smart interior
- Generous rear leg room and boot space
Weaknesses
- Rear head room compromised with panoramic roof
- No clever rear seat functions
- Auto gearbox feels frustratingly slow with non-hybrid engine
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 £34,475
Best price £31,626
January sales 4675
Read our in-depth Kia Sportage review
Strengths
- Smart interior
- Spacious in the back
- PHEV has a long electric-only range
Weaknesses
- Fidgety ride
- Wayward handling
- Frustrating infotainment system
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 £35,165
Best price £31,995
January sales 4059
Read our in-depth Jaecoo 7 review
Strengths
- Great fun to drive
- Remarkable blend of performance and fuel economy
- Big and cleverly designed boot
Weaknesses
- Rear space is adequate rather than outstanding
- Interior quality could be better
- There are more comfortable and quieter rivals
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 £27,480
Best price £24,848
January sales 3715
Read our in-depth Ford Puma review
Strengths
- Smooth, quiet engines
- Lower trim levels are great value for private buyers
- Smart, easy-to-use interior
Weaknesses
- So-so performance
- Some rivals are more fun to drive
- Lacks the seating flexibility of many rivals
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, and it’s a main rival of the top-selling Kia Sportage.
Like with the Sportage, our favourite version 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 £33,085
Best price £26,944
January sales 2995
Read our in-depth Nissan Qashqai review
Strengths
- Well equipped
- Cheaper than rivals
- Efficient engines
Weaknesses
- Fiddly infotainment system
- Below-par safety rating
- Smaller boot than rivals
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 £19,725
Best price £15,495
January sales 2902
Read our in-depth Vauxhall Corsa review
Strengths
- Long electric range for Comfort models
- Price undercuts most rivals
- Incredibly well equipped as standard
Weaknesses
- Unsettled ride
- Light and vague steering
- Rivals have more rear head room
While the BYD Seal U dons a very similar name to its stablemate, the BYD Seal electric saloon, this big-seller is actually a plug-in hybrid family SUV that rivals other top sellers like the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai.
Its PHEV set-up combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with either an 18.3kWh or 26.6kWh battery, which officially deliver up to 50 and 78 miles of pure electric range respectively. The latter figure is particularly impressive, beating even that of the Range Rover Sport P460e, which costs more than twice the price of the Seal U. It's just a shame the ride is prettu unsettled and the steering isn't very feelsome.
No matter which version you go for, every Seal U comes with the same kit, including heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a 360-degree parking camera, adaptive cruise control with steering assistance and a head-up display.
Our favourite version 1.5 DM- i 26.6kWh Comfort
List price £35,315
Best price £31,250
January sales 2550
Read our in-depth BYD Seal U review
Strengths
- Smart interior
- Good safety rating
- Lots of toys on our recommended trim
Weaknesses
- Choppy ride
- Claustrophobic in the rear seats
- Poor reliability record
If you want a reason to feel patriotic, then you might be pleased to hear that the Nissan Juke is one of two cars on this list manufactured here in the UK – the other being the Qashqai. And it follows in its larger sibling’s footsteps by setting the standard for many of the small SUVs we see today.
The Juke offers everything you’d expect it to: a lofty driving position and small, economical engines, all at an accessible price. Our favourite engine, the entry-level 112bhp 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol, isn’t the fastest we’ve ever tested, but it pulls strongly enough and should prove pretty frugal.
That said, it’s not particularly comfortable to drive, and it doesn’t offer the same level of fun as the Ford Puma does. In fact, even the Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Roc are more composed. Where the Juke does excel is inside, where it’s easy to get comfortable behind the wheel and the lofty driving position gives a nice view of the road ahead.
Our favourite version 1.0 DiG-T 114 N-Connecta
List price £26,265
Best price £22,943
January sales 2517
Read our in-depth Nissan Juke review
Strengths
- Well-judged ride and handling balance
- Has a large boot and great seating flexibility
- Roomier than many rivals
Weaknesses
- Higher trims are as pricey as premium-badged rivals
- Option packs drive up the price
- 1.5-litre petrol engine is noisy when revved
The Tiguan was once Volkswagen's biggest global seller, so it's little surprise that UK buyers love it so much. The current generation is stylish and modern 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 Match
List price £39,120
Best price £30,691
January sales 2425
Read our in-depth Volkswagen Tiguan review
Strengths
- Exceedingly comfortable ride with adaptive suspension
- Tidy handling
- Strong and frugal 1.5 TSI 150 engine
Weaknesses
- Automatic gearbox can be hesitant
- Interior quality could be better
- There are more spacious rivals
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 £29,135
Best price £23,491
January sales 2072
Read our in-depth Volkswagen Golf review
MG HS
Strengths
- Classy interior with loads of kit for the money
- Hybrid versions are good to drive
- Plug-in hybrid has a genuinely impressive electric range
Weaknesses
- MG's poor reliability record
- Non-hybrid 1.5 petrol is disappointing
- Some rivals has more luggage space
The MG HS is a long way from the two-seaters MG was known for in the past, but judging by the fact that the HS sells in big numbers, that's no bad thing.
You can have your HS with pure petrol or plug-in hybrid power – and the latter is our favourite option. As our 2026 Plug-In Hybrid of the Year, the HS PHEV impresses with its long electric-only range and fantastic value. Indeed, it can officially travel up to 75 miles on a single charge, which is further than most rivals, including the Jaecoo 7 and Kia Sportage.
We can't recommend the 1.5-litre petrol engine as highly, but it does offer decent acceleration and has more than enough oomph once you're on the move.
Our favourite version 1.5T Plug-in Hybrid SE
List price £32,245
Best price £26,999
January sales 2035
