Best-selling cars 2024: The UK's most popular models of the year
The cars in favour based on latest official figures
The latest sales figures suggest the new car market is in rude good health, with July marking two years of constant growth. Although that growth isn’t quite as rapid as it was at the start of the year, at just 2.5 per cent last month, 2024 is the first year since 2019 in which over a million cars were sold in the first six months.
Jump straight to the list of top 10 best-selling cars
That’s according to car industry trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which keeps tabs on vehicle registrations. However, the organisation also noted that growth is primarily being driven by fleet buyers (businesses) with sales up by 21 per cent. Sales among private consumers, in contrast, are down by 11.9 per cent over the first seven months of 2024.
Electrified car sales increase
As in other months, electrified cars of various types — including plug-in hybrids (PHEV), full hybrids (HEVs, or “self-charging hybrids”), mild hybrids (they can’t run on electric power alone, rather use a small electric motor to assist the combustion engine) and pure-electric cars (aka battery-electric vehicle, or bev) — recorded gains in July, perhaps thanks to their lower rates of company car taxation.
The news follows the millionth UK pure-electric car sale in January. Year on year, bev sales were up 18.8 per cent in July, though hybrids and PHEVs were up 31.4 and 12.4 per cent respectively.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, said the continued increase in electrified vehicle sales would require “greater support” for consumers and greater incentives. Last month, Hawes claimed the right incentives for motorists could mean reaching two million bev sales in just two years.
However, Hawes has also expressed concern about weakening private retail demand — particularly for electric vehicles — despite manufacturers offering discounts. The SMMT boss even said it was the “‘over-riding concern’ for the industry.“
That said, Hawes was upbeat about the state of the market overall, saying: “Two years of new car market growth against a backdrop of a turbulent economy is testament to the sector’s resilience and the attractiveness of the deals on offer. More people than ever are buying and driving EVs but we still need the pace of change to quicken, else the UK’s climate change ambitions are threatened.”
The UK’s top ten most popular new cars
But what are the UK’s best-selling new cars so far in 2024? Here’s the top ten most popular models to date, based on the SMMT’s registration figures.
1. Ford Puma: 29,729 registrations in 2024
The Ford Puma topped the sales charts for 2023 as a whole and it’s proving a major success in 2024, too. Perhaps no surprise as Ford’s entry-level crossover SUV is one of the best-handling and most practical cars in its class.
In his review of the Puma, Jeremy Clarkson said he loved the washable boot (known as the “megabox”) and noted that the feature seemed to be designed by “an actual person who leads an actual life”.
The Puma’s positive reception by critics and public alike helped convince Ford of Europe to put all its resources into SUVs and electrified cars; as a result the Fiesta supermini has been discontinued while a new pure-electric Puma is on the way this year. Quite the changing of the guard.
2. Kia Sportage: 28,138
The current Kia Sportage family SUV was relaunched in 2022, getting a new chassis and engine line-up along with more modern styling. The interior quality is excellent and the combined 12.3in digital displays give the interior a technologically-advanced look.
At the top of the Sportage range is a plug-in hybrid model developing 261bhp through its combination of 1.6-litre petrol engine and electric motor. A non-plug-in hybrid is available on this generation Sportage, as well as mild-hybrid petrol models and a diesel, so all buyers will be catered for whatever their fuel preference.
It’s up against polished rivals such as its cousin, the Hyundai Tucson, as well as the VW T-Roc, Tesla Model Y, Nissan Qashqai and Ford Kuga, so competition in this sector is fierce.
3. Nissan Qashqai: 26,514
An all-time high for the Nissan Qashqai in terms of sales came in 2022, with it becoming the UK’s best-selling car, though its popularity continued through 2023 and it finished last year as the UK’s second most popular model.
The Qashqai helped popularise the crossover genre, having a bigger impact on the types of cars we drive than almost any other car launched this century. SUVs and crossovers now dominate sales.
The all-new Qashqai launched in 2021 with a hybrid “e-Power” variant, clever technology, a fresher design and more upmarket interior, and we liked it enough to name it our Small SUV / Crossover of the Year. No doubt its sales success has quite a lot to do with our award; you’re welcome, Nissan.
But there’s no denying that whether buying new or used, the Qashqai is a decent and able family car, with good fuel economy, a smart design and lots of tech at an affordable price. Plus it’s built in Sunderland.
4. Volkswagen Golf: 22,045
You’d have thought the VW Golf would be doing rather better than it has been since Ford discontinued the Focus, especially against more expensive rivals such as the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series, but the current eighth generation version hasn’t been the darling of the motoring press. Many highlighted a frustrating touchscreen infotainment system.
That’s now been addressed with the new Golf Mk 8.5, as VW is calling it, and it features a much sharper, easy-to-use touchscreen and backlit sliders for easier operation at night. It also offers sharper looks and a new plug-in hybrid is capable of 62 miles on electric power alone (officially). This should give what many consider to be the benchmark hatchback a boost in sales in the second half of the year.
Look beyond the tech, though, and the Golf has many redeeming features. The ride quality is excellent and the refinement top notch. The handling is pleasing, too, and it comes in many flavours including the sporty GTI and GTI Clubsport, GTE plug-in hybrid, diesel GTD and fire-breathing four-wheel-drive Golf R.
5. Nissan Juke: 21,982
We don’t often see the Juke — the Qashqai’s smaller sibling — in the top 10, so Nissan will be delighted that it had two of the 10 best-selling cars in 2023 and that it’s riding high in 2024.
The Juke has been a bit of a Marmite car in the past but the second generation model is an objectively more attractive proposition and the introduction of a hybrid version has clearly caught the eye of many new car buyers who value fuel economy and low running costs.
Like the Qashqai, the Juke is built in Sunderland and so the “buy local” effect may be a factor in its popularity. But the Juke drives well, appeals to young drivers, has plenty of tech and is competitively priced, starting at under £21,000, which makes the compact crossover an attractive proposition for buyers of all ages.
Hopefully, the forthcoming replacement model, announced earlier this year, will continue in much the same vein.
6. Audi A3: 20,549
The Audi A3 has been around since 1996 and is now in its fourth generation. It’s built on the same underpinnings as — and is a similar size to — the VW Golf and Seat Leon, but considered a more upmarket alternative to both Volkswagen Group stablemates, with a higher price point (starting at £28,650).
For that reason it’s interesting that it was outselling both Golf and Leon for much of the year, again showing we Brits like an upmarket brand. But in some ways the A3 is more versatile than either of those siblings; you can pick up an A3 in hatchback or saloon forms, and in sporty or rip-snorting guises as the S3 and RS 3. Since 2021 there’s been a plug-in hybrid version, too.
The recent facelifted versions are likely to be the last of the petrol-powered A3s, as Audi is set to launch its final fossil-fuelled cars in Europe in 2025, so expect the fifth gen A3 to be pure electric. Buyers seem to be snapping up the dinosaur-burner versions while they can.
7. MG HS: 19,175
A visit to the top 10 best-selling cars is unusual for MG, though it could be a sign of things to come. Although a British brand, MG is owned by Chinese state-owned megacorp SAIC, and many can see Chinese companies dominating global vehicle production and sales over the coming years.
The MG HS is the brand’s rival to the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Ford Kuga and the many others in the crowded mid-sized crossover segment, though with prices starting at £24,030 it’s able to undercut its competitors.
The price reflects its refinement, though, and reviews show the cost savings are apparent inside, in its driving manners and under the bonnet.
Still, it’s a smart-looking thing, thanks to a design refresh in 2023, and you can’t argue with its practicality, seven-year warranty or price tag.
8. Hyundai Tucson: 19,099
The Hyundai Tucson crept back into the top ten following a strong sixth-place finish in June, and it matched that again in July, no doubt helped by the arrival of the first examples of the facelifted model.
Given that the Tucson shares its underpinnings with the Kia Sportage, it’s perhaps surprising that it’s not closer to that car in the sales charts. Buyers can choose from a wide range of powertrains, from simple petrol engines to “self-charging” hybrids and a powerful, efficient plug-in hybrid option.
9. BMW 1 Series: 19,037
The BMW 1 Series, along with the Mini Hatch, Audi A3 and Mercedes A-class, are all strong sellers these days, reflecting Brits’ penchant for premium hatchbacks over more affordable options… no doubt facilitated by PCP finance deals.
Despite a slightly gawky front end, it’s easy to see why the current 1 Series is popular: a classy interior, excellent driving feel and increased interior space over older versions.
When it was launched in 2019, standard 1 Series became front-wheel drive rather than the traditional rear-wheel drive, which upset purists. But most buyers won’t notice or care, and the benefits in terms of packaging and grip are clear.
There’s something for everyone, too, from the well equipped entry-level 118i SE, with its efficient 136bhp petrol engine, to the hot M135i X-Drive, which gains four-wheel drive and a 306bhp powerplant.
A significant revision for the 1 Series has been unveiled which is sure to bolster the car’s success later in 2024.
10. Volkswagen T-Roc: 18,245
Volkswagen’s compact SUV has become almost as popular as the more conventional Golf by offering a semi-premium, well-made and well-equipped rival to the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Niro and Mazda CX-30.
Comfortable and pleasant to drive, the T-Roc is a great family car, and it’s offered in a wide range of guises to suit every customer. There are frugal 1-litre petrol options for those at the affordable end of the market, and there are all-wheel-drive options for those who might venture off road. There are even convertible examples, and a high-performance ‘R’ model.
Whichever model you pick, it’ll offer the same balance of robust quality and premium tactility, with lots of tech for those who like their gadgets.
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