Best-selling cars 2024: The UK's most popular models of the year

With 2024 being the first year in which carmakers were obliged to meet new rules governing the percentage of electric vehicles sold, all eyes were on the December figures to determine if the industry had managed to hit the targets.

Jump straight to the list of top 10 best-selling cars

In the end, when considering the market as a whole, despite a record proportion of EVs being sold the government’s 22 per cent quota wasn’t achieved, with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) putting the actual market share at 19.6 per cent. However, the Department for Transport said it doesn’t expect any brand will have to pay the £15,000 fine for every internal combustion engine (ICE) car sold above the quota (£9,000 for every van), due to “flexibility” built into the system.

This is likely to mean that manufacturers can use credits for beating CO2 levels across their fleets set in 2021, and can use them towards Zero Emission Vehicle (Zev) mandate compliance. Preliminary data from the DfT and DVLA suggests that taking this into account means the car market as a whole achieved the 22 per cent ZEV mandate target.

Reaching this point, though, has been tough. In November, car giant Stellantis announced it would be closing its factory in Luton, which has been producing cars and vans for over a hundred years, putting 1,100 jobs at risk. The firm said the decision was partly driven by the Zev mandate rules imposed to speed up the transition to electric vehicles in the UK. It followed Ford announcing earlier in the month that it would be shedding 800 jobs in the UK over the next three years.

Commenting on the December new car registration figures, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “A record year for EV registrations underscores vehicle manufacturers’ unswerving commitment to a decarbonised new car market, with more choice, better range and increased affordability than ever before.

“This has come at huge cost, however, with the billions invested in new models being supplemented by generous incentives which are unsustainable. We need rapid results from the regulatory review and urgent substantive support for consumers – else automotive investments will be at risk and the jobs, economic growth and net zero ambitions we all share in jeopardy.

The UK’s top ten most popular new cars of 2024

But what were the UK’s best-selling new cars in 2024? Here are the top ten most popular models of the year, according to the SMMT’s registration figures.

1. Ford Puma: 48,340 registrations in 2024

The Ford Puma topped the sales charts for 2023 and 2024, which is some comfort for the Blue Oval as it replaced its former chart-topping success stories, the Fiesta and Focus, in favour of SUVs and new electric models … and suffered a loss in market share as a result.

The Puma’s success is arguably no surprise as Ford’s entry-level crossover SUV is based on the excellent Fiesta, and 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 discontinue the Fiesta and plough ahead with the new pure-electric Puma Gen-E, to add to the electric line-up alongside the Mustang Mach-E, new Capri and new Explorer. Quite the changing of the guard.

2. Kia Sportage: 47,163

Sunday Times family car of the year 2022: Kia Sportage

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, and that makes the fact that it was the second best-selling car of 2024 — and nearly as popular as the more affordable Puma — all the more impressive.

2022 Kia Sportage: all the info plus how it stacks up against its key rivals

3. Nissan Qashqai: 42,418

An all-time high for the Nissan Qashqai in terms of sales came in 2022, with it becoming the UK’s overall best-selling car, though its popularity continued through 2023 and it finished last year as the UK’s second most popular model. In 2024 it slipped to third but that still marks it out as an incredible success story.

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, as the top five most popular cars of 2024 demonstrates.

The current 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.

Read our review of the 2022 Nissan Qashqai e-Power here

4. Nissan Juke: 34,454

2019 Nissan Juke 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show Reveal

We haven’t often seen the Juke — the Qashqai’s smaller sibling — in the top 10 before 2024, so Nissan will be delighted that it had two crossovers in the top four best-selling cars of 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, which makes the compact crossover an attractive proposition for buyers of all ages.

The forthcoming replacement model, announced last year, may continue in much the same vein.

5. Tesla Model Y: 32,862

Tesla’s sales model means that it registers large numbers of cars in one go as soon as they arrive on UK soil, before delivering them straight to customers, and as usual its December boatload has propelled one of its cars up to the order for the year as a whole: the Model Y moved from ninth after November to fifth for the year as a whole.

Based on the Model 3 saloon, the pure-electric Tesla Model Y crossover adds a lot more practicality to the usual things we expect from a Tesla, such as excellent powertrain efficiency, an ultra-minimalist cabin and connected technology.

Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has been courting controversy in the news for quite some time, and some car buyers have been put off by his political allegiances and interventions, but sales are still excellent because the products are objectively good, and in some ways market leading.

Read our review of the Tesla Model Y here

6. Volkswagen Golf: 32,370

You might have expected the legendary VW Golf to do rather better than fifth overall for 2024, especially since Ford discontinued its rival the Focus, but it goes to show how much crossovers and SUVs are now in vogue. It perhaps hasn’t helped that the current version isn’t a darling of the motoring press, with many reviewers highlighting the Mk.8 Golf’s frustrating touchscreen infotainment system.

That’s now been addressed with the new Golf Mk 8.5, launched in 2024, which features a much sharper, easy-to-use touchscreen and backlit sliders for easier operation of the volume and temperature controls at night. It also offers sharper looks and a new plug-in hybrid option capable of 62 miles on electric power alone (officially). This has given what many still consider to be the benchmark family hatchback a boost in sales.

Look beyond the tech 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.

7. Hyundai Tucson: 32,174

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. Final position: seventh in the 2024 UK new car sales chart.

The Tucson shares its underpinnings with the Kia Sportage, and a very competent SUV it is, too. 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.

8. MG HS: 30,207

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.

Car market fixed by ‘brutal’ China and the West is ‘too scared’ to fight back, says Iain Duncan-Smith

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 £24,995 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 2024, and you can’t argue with its practicality, seven-year warranty or pricetag.

9. Volvo XC40: 30,202

The Volvo XC40 jumped from outside the top 10 bestselling cars list in November to ninth after December, having found homes for 2,618 of the plush crossover in December. It’s been available in mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric forms for some time, though in 2024 Volvo separated the latter from the combustion variants and called it the EX40, and removed the plug-in hybrid option.

That leaves the mild hybrid, but there’s still choice for new XC40 buyers, with two fuel-sipping petrol engines available, both assisted by a small electric motor, for 161bhp or 194bhp, and in 2024 a stealthy Black Edition model was introduced with black alloys, a black grille and black paint (pictured). Regardless of which version buyers choose, the XC40 offers excellent refinement, high end audio systems and competitive practicality for its class.

10. Volkswagen Polo: 28,981

More than 18 million VW Polos have been sold over its six generations and nearly five decades since going on sale, and the supermini has been very popular especially in the UK, where we’ve snapped up nearly one in ten of those produced. It’s still going strong, clearly, making the top 10 best sellers for 2024.

A refresh of the current version came in February 2022, with a new front and rear end, smarter headlights, new paint colours and updated tech. The standard model can be had with three versions of a 1-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine with power outputs between 79bhp and 108bhp, with five-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmissions.

At the top of the range, though, is the Polo GTI with a 2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that produces 204bhp and is mated to the auto ‘box, for a 0-62mph time of 6.5 seconds.