Ford Puma Crowned UK’s Best-Selling Car For 2024

Once again the Ford Puma has secured its position as the UK’s best-selling car, topping the 2024 sales charts as SUVs and 4x4s became the nation’s most popular vehicle segment for the first time.

According to data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the Puma narrowly beat the Kia Sportage, with 48,340 registrations compared to Kia’s 47,163.

The Nissan Qashqai, which claimed the top spot in 2022, dropped to third place in 2024 with 42,418 registrations. Following closely was the Nissan Juke which sold 34,454 units. Completing the top five was the Tesla Model Y, the UK’s best-selling electric vehicle (EV), which is in line for a facelift later this year.

Best-selling cars in the UK 2024

1. Ford Puma (48,340)
2. Kia Sportage (47,163)
3. Nissan Qashqai (42,418)
4. Nissan Juke (34,454)
5. Tesla Model Y (32,862)
6. Volkswagen Golf (32,370)
7. Hyundai Tucson (32,174)
8. MG HS (30,207)
9. Volvo XC40 (30,202)
10. Volkswagen Polo (28,981)

EV sales fall short of ZEV Mandate target

Despite 19.6% of new cars sold being electric, and a 21.4% growth in the EV market compared to 2023, registration numbers failed to meet the 22% target set by the government in its Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) Mandate.

The SMMT stated that the industry has “pulled every lever to try and achieve this target,” with manufacturer discounts totalling more than £4.5 billion in 2024 — a figure it warns is unsustainable in the long term. The ZEV Mandate target is set to rise to 28% in 2025, further increasing pressure on manufacturers.

In total, 1.95 million new cars were registered in 2024, marking the market’s second consecutive year of growth. However, fleet sales dominated the landscape, accounting for 1.16 million registrations, or 60% of the total.

Only one in ten private buyers opted for an electric vehicle in 2024, with private new car sales dropping by nearly 9% overall. This decline pushed private sales below the levels seen during the 2020 pandemic when lockdowns and supply chain disruptions severely impacted the industry.

Petrol cars continued to lead the market, comprising 52.2% of total sales. Electric vehicles followed with 19.6%, while full hybrids captured 13.4% and plug-in hybrids 8.6%. Diesel vehicles accounted for just 6.3% of new registrations.

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