The UK’s new car market grew by 3.4% in January, figures show.
Some 144,127 new cars were registered last month, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.
That is compared with 139,345 during the same period last year.
New car market starts year with growth but EV share fallshttps://t.co/TROcpisMR5 pic.twitter.com/4KdVEG9yQK
— SMMT (@SMMT) February 5, 2026
The SMMT said it was the industry’s strongest January performance since 2020, before coronavirus restrictions.
Pure battery electric new cars took a market share of 20.6%, which was their lowest monthly figure since April 2025.
The SMMT noted this followed “strong” demand at the end of last year when manufacturers were pushing to meet regulatory targets, which will have “affected the January market”.