Car Market Overview June 26

This monthly update outlines the current state of the UK new and used car markets. It combines new car registration data up to the end of April 2026 with an assessment of prevailing conditions in the used market at the time of writing. All commentary reflects the market position as of 26th May 2026.

New car sales

UK new car registrations rose strongly in April, increasing by 24.0% year on year to 149,247 units, according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The improvement was largely explained by the low point of comparison in April 2025, when a significant volume of demand had been pulled forward into March ahead of planned tax changes, including the extension of VED and the Expensive Car Supplement to battery electric vehicles. While April is typically a quieter month for registrations, which can distort annual comparisons, the result still represented the strongest April performance since 2019, when volumes reached 161,064 units.

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