The Ford Puma has long dominated the passenger vehicle sales charts in the UK, having ranked as the top-selling new model of that type in both 2023 and 2024. However, the Puma lost some momentum as last year waned on, giving up considerable ground to the Kia Sportage and barely edging it out for the sales crown last year. In January 2024, the Ford Puma actually slipped all the way down to seventh place, and in February, it fell even further – to tenth place. However, the Puma did manage to rebound in a big way in March.
According to new data from The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT),, the Ford Puma once again ranked atop the UK passenger vehicle charts after recording 11,132 sales in March, which gave it a healthy lead over the second-place Sportage at 7,874 units sold. That was good enough to propel the Puma back into first place through the opening three months of the year, too, with 14,930 sales in January-March compared to the Sportage’s 12,866 units.
As for the overall UK car market, buyers scooped up 357,103 vehicles in March, which is a 12.4 percent increase year-over-year. Traditional ICE models fell by 0.4 percent while diesels declined by 10.1 percent, moving 176,847 and 20,967 units, respectively. Meanwhile, hybrids enjoyed a 27.7 percent sales increase to 56,161 units, plug-in hybrids saw a 37.9 percent sales increase to 33,815 units, and EV sales grew 43.2 percent to 69,313 units.
“A welcome return to growth, and substantial growth at that, is a fillip for the industry,” said SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes. “Moreover, with March being the best month ever for electric car registrations, there is reason for optimism. Manufacturers remain committed to the market decarbonization the country and the environment demands, but we need sustained growth, not a short-term bubble driven by unsustainable manufacturer discounting and drivers rushing to beat a tax hike. Without substantive government support for consumers, the current regulatory regime is undeliverable. A rapid response to the government consultation is therefore needed – one that adds flexibilities that reflect the natural level of demand and supports the industry to deliver growth in the face of a tough set of global challenges.”
No Comments yet