Commercial Overview March 2026

At 17,562, January 2026 new LCV registrations were down by 1,488 (-7.8%) compared to 2025. They have not been this low since 2008, when the world was hit by the worst global recession since the 1930s.

You may recall that the recession was triggered in 2007 by the collapse of Lehman Brothers in the US which led to the freezing of global credit markets.

This hit new LCV sales because buyers were unable to obtain the finance needed to purchase them.

The current slump in new LCV registrations is largely the result of ongoing economic uncertainty, which continues to affect business confidence.

Many fleet operators remain cautious, delaying investment in new vehicles unless it’s absolutely necessary. The latest outlook for 2026 forecasts 321,000 new LCV registrations, an increase of 1.9% compared with 2025. However, as we saw throughout 2025, forecasts are frequently revised as market conditions change.

CLICK HERE to read the full article.