🇬🇧 The Most Popular New Passenger Car Brands in the UK Based on Official Registrations
The United Kingdom recorded 2,020,520 new passenger car registrations in 2025, representing growth of 3.5% compared with the previous year. Volkswagen remained the country’s best-selling marque for the fifth consecutive year, while BMW retained second place and Ford climbed to third. Electrified vehicles continued to gain ground, although petrol cars still represented the largest individual powertrain category.
📊 The UK New Car Market Exceeded Two Million Registrations
The British new car market surpassed two million annual registrations for the first time since 2019. Private demand increased by 4.5%, while fleet registrations rose by 2.6% and continued to account for most sales. Battery-electric cars reached a record 473,348 registrations and a 23.4% market share. SUVs and crossovers dominated the model rankings, led by the Ford Puma, Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai.
🏆 1. Volkswagen Remained the UK’s Best-Selling Car Brand
Volkswagen registered 178,607 new passenger cars in the United Kingdom during 2025, compared with 166,304 in 2024. Its sales increased by 7.4%, comfortably exceeding the growth of the overall market. The German marque expanded its market share to approximately 8.8% and secured first place for the fifth consecutive year.
The Golf remained Volkswagen’s most popular model with 32,478 registrations, ranking sixth among all new cars in the UK. The Tiguan also entered the national top ten with 29,857 units, while the Polo and T-Roc supported demand in smaller categories. Electric ID models and plug-in hybrids broadened the brand’s appeal.
💎 2. BMW Retained Second Place Despite a Small Decline
BMW recorded 122,723 new-car registrations in 2025, a decrease of 2.0% from the 125,265 vehicles registered one year earlier. Despite this modest decline, the company retained second place and achieved a market share of approximately 6.1%. It remained Britain’s most successful premium car brand by a clear margin.
The 1 Series, 3 Series and 5 Series maintained BMW’s traditional strength in hatchback, executive and company-car segments. Its X1, X3 and X5 models benefited from sustained demand for premium SUVs. The electric i4 achieved 12,158 registrations, while the iX1, i5 and other plug-in models strengthened the electrified range.
🇬🇧 3. Ford Returned to the Top Three with the Best-Selling Puma
Ford increased its UK registrations by 8.2%, from 109,955 vehicles in 2024 to 118,998 in 2025. This strong performance allowed the manufacturer to climb from fifth to third place, with a market share of approximately 5.9%. Ford recorded the largest percentage increase among the three leading marques.
The Puma was Britain’s best-selling new car for the third consecutive year, reaching a record 55,488 registrations. The compact crossover accounted for almost half of Ford’s passenger-car volume, while the Kuga remained an important family model. The electric Puma Gen-E, Explorer and Capri supported Ford’s transition towards electric mobility.
🚙 4. Kia Strengthened Its Position with the Popular Sportage
Kia registered 113,436 new passenger cars in the UK during 2025, compared with 112,252 in the previous year. The resulting increase of 1.1% was below overall market growth, but the Korean brand retained fourth place. Its annual market share stood at approximately 5.6%, keeping Kia ahead of Audi.
The Sportage was the second-best-selling car in Britain with 47,788 registrations, confirming its importance to Kia’s success. The Niro and Picanto remained popular choices, while the EV3 recorded 11,188 registrations during its first full year. The EV6, EV9 and other electrified models enhanced Kia’s technological image.
📉 5. Audi Slipped in the Rankings as Registrations Declined
Audi completed 2025 with 111,115 new-car registrations, down 9.2% from the 122,431 vehicles recorded in 2024. Its market share declined to approximately 5.5%, and the marque fell from third to fifth place. Even so, Audi remained one of the United Kingdom’s three highest-volume premium manufacturers.
The A3 continued to attract buyers seeking a premium hatchback, while the A1, A5 and A6 covered a wide range of private and business requirements. Audi’s Q2, Q3 and Q5 benefited from demand for luxury SUVs. The Q4 e-tron and Q6 e-tron were among Britain’s leading electric cars, with more than 27,000 registrations combined.
🇰🇷 6. Hyundai Advanced with a Broad SUV and Electric Line-Up
Hyundai delivered 93,124 new passenger cars in Britain during 2025, an increase of 1.4% over the 91,808 registrations achieved in 2024. Although its growth was slower than the wider market, the company climbed from ninth to sixth position. Hyundai finished the year with an estimated market share of 4.6%.
The Tucson was Hyundai’s strongest model and ranked tenth nationally with 28,613 registrations. The Kona provided petrol, hybrid and electric options in the compact crossover segment, while the i10 and i20 remained practical urban cars. The Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 9 showcased the company’s dedicated electric technology.
🔋 7. Toyota Remained Strong Despite an Annual Sales Decline
Toyota registered 90,126 new cars in the United Kingdom in 2025, down from 101,444 vehicles during the previous year. The 11.2% decrease reduced its market share to approximately 4.5%, although the Japanese company retained seventh place. Its extensive hybrid range remained central to its position in the market.
The Yaris and Yaris Cross were among Britain’s most popular hybrid cars, recording 19,810 and 18,035 electrified registrations respectively. The Corolla, C-HR and RAV4 expanded Toyota’s coverage of family-car and SUV segments. The electric bZ4X and plug-in hybrid models offered alternatives to its established full hybrids.
🏭 8. Nissan Relied on British-Built Qashqai and Juke Models
Nissan finished 2025 with 90,102 new passenger-car registrations, representing a 10.3% fall from the 100,446 units recorded in 2024. Its total was only 24 vehicles behind Toyota, giving both companies approximately 4.5% of the market. Nissan nevertheless maintained eighth place in the annual brand ranking.
The Sunderland-built Qashqai was Britain’s third-best-selling car with 41,141 registrations, while the Juke ranked fifth with 34,773. Together, the two crossovers generated the large majority of Nissan’s UK volume. The electric Ariya and Leaf contributed smaller numbers as the manufacturer prepared its next generation of electric cars.
⭐ 9. Mercedes-Benz Fell to Ninth in the UK Brand Ranking
Mercedes-Benz registered 89,267 new passenger cars in Britain during 2025, compared with 102,757 in 2024. The 13.1% contraction was the sharpest decline among the ten leading marques and moved the company from sixth to ninth place. Its market share decreased to approximately 4.4% for the full year.
The A-Class, C-Class and E-Class continued to serve private, company-car and executive buyers. Demand for the GLA, GLC and GLE reflected the wider popularity of premium SUVs, while the CLA added a sportier option. Electric EQA, EQB and EQE models remained part of the range alongside petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions.
🔌 10. MG Completed the Top Ten with Continued Growth
MG recorded 85,155 new passenger-car registrations in the United Kingdom during 2025, up 4.4% from 81,536 one year earlier. This result gave the former British marque a market share of approximately 4.2% and allowed it to retain tenth position. MG also stayed ahead of Škoda, Peugeot and Vauxhall.
The MG HS was the eighth-best-selling car in Britain with 30,191 registrations, supported by petrol and plug-in hybrid versions. The MG ZS remained an important affordable crossover, while the MG3 Hybrid+ expanded the company’s presence in the small-car segment. The MG4 continued to offer a competitively priced electric alternative.
📋 Top 10 Best-Selling Car Brands in the United Kingdom in 2025 – Table
| Rank | Brand | 2025 Registrations | 2024 Registrations | Annual Change | 2025 Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | 178,607 | 166,304 | +7.4% | 8.84% |
| 2 | BMW | 122,723 | 125,265 | −2.0% | 6.07% |
| 3 | Ford | 118,998 | 109,955 | +8.2% | 5.89% |
| 4 | Kia | 113,436 | 112,252 | +1.1% | 5.61% |
| 5 | Audi | 111,115 | 122,431 | −9.2% | 5.50% |
| 6 | Hyundai | 93,124 | 91,808 | +1.4% | 4.61% |
| 7 | Toyota | 90,126 | 101,444 | −11.2% | 4.46% |
| 8 | Nissan | 90,102 | 100,446 | −10.3% | 4.46% |
| 9 | Mercedes-Benz | 89,267 | 102,757 | −13.1% | 4.42% |
| 10 | MG | 85,155 | 81,536 | +4.4% | 4.21% |
The ranking covers new passenger cars registered in the United Kingdom during the 2025 calendar year. It excludes used vehicles, vans, heavy commercial vehicles, buses and motorcycles. Market shares were calculated using the total of 2,020,520 new passenger-car registrations reported by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Volkswagen reinforced its market leadership, while BMW retained second place and Ford returned to the top three. Kia and MG achieved modest growth, whereas Audi, Toyota, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz recorded lower registrations than in 2024. The results highlight the continued dominance of SUVs, the importance of fleet demand and the rapid expansion of electric and plug-in hybrid cars across the British market.
