New Car Registrations DOWN by 9% in July

New car registrations in the UK fell in July by 9.0 per cent as supply-chain shortages continue to style production.

To no one’s, great surprise, new car registrations in the UK were down again in July, with 112,162 cars registered, down from 123,296 in 2021, a fall of 9 per cent, with the blame laid at supply chain shortages as the world still recovers from Covid impacts.

But as car makers prioritise builds for more profitable segments – as well as for ‘green’ cars – the drop in sales was down to fleet registrations – traditionally a much cheaper sale than to private buyers – with fleet registrations down by 18.2 per cent and private registrations unchanged from 2021.

Diesel sales fell the most too – down by 29.3 per cent on 2021 – with petrol sales down just 7.2 per cent, and BEVs continued growth continues with registrations up by almost 10 per cent.

It’s an odd landscape as car registrations are being driven not by demand but by what ar makers decide to build and to whom they decide to sell. And for many car makers that’s starting to turn into a money-making machine as profits soar despite lower production.

It also makes for an odd ‘bests-seller’ chart too, with the Nissan Qashqai at the top of the tree in July followed by MINI and the Hyundai Tucson. The Vauxhall Corsa – the best-selling car so far this year – came in at number six, and there’s not a single Ford in the top ten.

Mike Hawes, SMMT boss, said:

While order books are strong, we need a healthy market to ensure the sector delivers the carbon savings government ambitions demand. The next Prime Minister must create the conditions for economic growth, restore consumer confidence and support the transition to zero emission mobility.