Significant fall in September new car market

The UK new car market fell by -20.5% in September, according to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 338,834 vehicles were registered in the month, down around 87,000 on the previous year.

The fall, the SMMT says, is partly due to the new WLTP testing requirements which continue to affect supply and distort the market.

The impact was felt across sectors, with registrations by private consumers, fleets and businesses all declining, by -20.1%, -22.4% and -6.3% respectively. Registrations of petrol and diesel cars also fell, while hybrids and plug-in electrics were up a modest 3.9%.

The SMMT comments that the turbulent first eight months of the year are due to the confusion over diesel policy, VED changes and transition to the new WLTP emissions standards. Year-to-date performance is currently -7.5% behind 2017.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: "With the industry given barely a year to reapprove the entire European model line-up, it’s no surprise that we’ve seen bottlenecks and a squeeze on supply. These are exceptional circumstances with similar declines seen in other major European markets. The good news is that, as backlogs ease, consumers and businesses can look forward to a raft of exciting high-tech cars and a market keen to recover lost momentum."