An analysis of the ‘overall average score’ across all questions of the survey (6.5) put Lexus at the top with 9.3 points out of 10, followed by Kia (8.9) and Toyota (8.5). The bottom of the table saw Fiat (4.6), Hyundai (4.7) and Alfa Romeo (4.8).
A rise of 7,682 units was in comparison with the same month in 2021, when the pandemic shut car showrooms across the UK. Despite this positive performance, registrations are down 25.9% on pre-pandemic levels, as vehicle supply remains constrained by semiconductor shortages, according to the latest figures from the SMMT.
Last year saw a strong Q2 with 2.1 million transactions, while the market declined moderately by 3.1% in Q4. Demand for battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) rose significantly by 119.2% and 75.6% to 40,228 and 56,861 transactions respectively. Transactions of used petrol (+10.7%) and diesel (9.8%) grew to a total of 7,277,291 units, equating to 96.6% of all used car sales.
Growth was driven by private buyers, as manufacturers sought to prioritise these customers given the supply constraints, with this segment of the market registering 62,300 new cars, up 64.1%, year on year – and just 5.6% off pre-pandemic levels. Large fleet registrations, meanwhile, remained broadly flat with last year at 50,817 units (down 0.4%)
The overall new car market was down 28.7% down from pre-pandemic levels according to figures released by the SMMT. The figures showed 2021’s new car registrations were 1.0% above 2020’s sales but remained below pre-pandemic levels by 28.7%; a total of 1.65 million units were registered.
Plug-in vehicles now account for 16.6% of all new car registrations in 2021, which, when joined by a further 9.1% from hybrid electric vehicles means that 25.7%, or more than a quarter of the new car market, has been electrified year-to-date.
EVA certifies the efforts and investments that retailers are making in the EV sector to meet ever-changing consumer demand. It is the only scheme that provides an EV specific accreditation to retailers who meet a set of standards.
However, September was the best month ever for new battery electric vehicle (BEV) uptake. With a market share of 15.2%, 32,721 BEVs joined the road in the month, reflecting the wide range of models now available and growing consumer appetite. The September performance was just over 5,000 shy of the total number registered during the whole of 2019.
Lexus (9.7) topped the all-important question ‘how would you rate your manufacturer overall on a scale of 1 to 10’, followed by Toyota and Kia (both at 9.6). Fiat (4.2), Abarth (3.8) and Hyundai (3.1) had the lowest ratings, despite all experiencing an increase in score. The average score rose by 0.2 points to 6.5.
According to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 68,033 units were registered, the weakest since August 2013, and down 7.6% against the average recorded over the last decade, due in part to constrained supply as the global shortage of semiconductors, an issue born of the pandemic, continues to undermine production volumes.
