New car purchases affected by uncertainty

“New car sales were up by just 1.3% in September as, despite stable footfall and online enquiries, consumers delay their new car purchases as a result of the continued political uncertainty”, said Sue Robinson, Director of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in the UK commenting on the latest SMMT new passenger car registration figures.

New passenger car registrations rose by 1.3% in September with a total of 343,255 units registered. Year to date, the market is -2.5% down to 1,862,271 units. Pure electric vehicles rose by 236.4%, registrations of diesel cars declined by -20.3%, petrol rose by 4.5%.

Robinson added, “Positively, sales of pure electric cars increased significantly. The upward trend will continue as supply improves and more models become available.

“There continues to be strong consumer interest in used cars. While new car supply constraints ease, many motorists are choosing to opt for second-hand vehicles.

“It is vital that the Government provides clarity to businesses and consumers as soon as possible so as not to undermine the stability of the automotive sector, one of the key contributors to the UK economy”.