New passenger car registrations decline in July

“New passenger car registrations declined by -9.3% in July which is usually a quiet month. Year to date, the market is lower than last year but remains in line with forecasts. Following recent Government’s announcements and given the decline in petrol and diesel registrations, clear messages are needed to not cause further confusion to car buyers. It is vital that modern Euro 6 diesel cars are not compared to older diesel vehicles, information surrounding diesel must be clarified for the consumer”, Sue Robinson, Director of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle dealers in the UK, commenting on the latest SMMT’s registration figures.

New car registrations declined by -9.3% in July, with 161,997 units. Year to date, the market is -2.2% lower than last year with 1,563,808 units. Sales of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) grew by 64.9% in July, with a total of 8,871 AFVs registered in the month and a record monthly share of 5.5%. Year to date, the segment is 31.4% higher than last year with 67,528 AFVs. Petrol registrations declined by -3.0% and diesel fell -20.1%.

Robinson continued, “The growth in alternative fuel vehicles sales is encouraging but consumers need continued guidance and support to ensure a stable and gradual shift which will drive the market in the long term. In particular, the Government should invest in charging infrastructure.

“With approximately 565,000 people employed in the retail automotive sector, it is vital that the stability of the industry is not undermined. We continue to urge the Government to consider the needs of consumers and businesses.

“The UK car market as a whole remains strong with buoyant used car sales and near record new car sales”.