New car sales in Wales last year did better than most other parts of Britain, show figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Twelve months saw 79,936 new cars registered in Wales compared to 82,753 in 2017, a 3.4% dip and only Northern Ireland faired better with 3.35% decline on a smaller total of 52,533 in 2018 under 54,356 sales a year earlier.
New car sales in England and Scotland fell 6.89 and 8.18% respectively and the total for the UK was down 6.8% to 2,361,618 from 2,534,040 in 2017.
It was the steepest decline since the global crisis a decade ago with car makers blaming Governments for confusion over diesel legislation and the stagnation of decision planning for Brexit in March.
Conversely, petrol and AFV sales have climbed to replace the lost diesel business but some manufacturers have faired worse than others due to over-reliance on derv driven registrations.
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Car makers and the SMMT have warned about a possible reduction in UK investment if there is no agreement for Britain’s trading rights from the end of March when it could face additional tariffs and customs checks on components and finished models. Across Europe last month, car sales slid 8.5% as tighter emissions tests strangled production and registrations but there is optimism of a slight lift in 2019 when markets settle down and supplies improve.
- Ford Fiesta 5033
- Ford Kuga 2245
- Ford Focus 2177
- VW Polo 1711
- Vaux Corsa 1643
- Ford EcoSport 1530
- VW Golf 1530
- Nissan Qashqai 1428
- Vaux Mokka 1307
- Toyota Yaris 1302
UK top cars 2018 were:
- Ford Fiesta 95892
- VW Golf 64829
- Vaux Corsa 52915
- Nissan Qashqai 50546
- Ford Focus 50492
- VW Polo 45149
- MINI 44904
- MB A Class 43527
- Ford Kuga 40398
- Kia Sportage 35567
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes added:
“Despite the overall decline in 2018, demand for new cars in the UK remains solid, with volumes on a par with the preceding 15-year average,and the market still the second biggest in the EU, behind Germany. It is also one of the most diverse, with buyers able to choose from some 350 different models available in fuel types and body styles to suit all driving needs.
:Meanwhile, more than 80 exciting new generation models – 31 of them plug-in electrics – are set to make their showroom debuts in 2019, and with some compelling deals on offer, the industry is continuing to invest to grow the market despite the headwinds.”
