Audi is the most popular manufacturer in the UK this month.
145,204 new cars hit UK roads in May, a 16.7% year-on-year improvement leading to a year-to-date tally up 16.8% to 772,454. We are nevertheless still below the May 2021 volume of 156,737. Private sales worryingly fall into negative at -0.5% o 65,932 units and 45.4% share vs. 53.3% a year ago. In contrast fleet sales soar 36.9% to 76,207 and 52.5% share vs. 44.7% in May 2022 and business sales are up 22.5% to 3,065 and 2% share. Year-to-date, the situation is very similar with private sales down -0.9% to 355,527 and 46% share vs. 54.2% over the same period in 2022, fleet sales up 38.6% to 398,024 and 51.5% share vs. 43.4% and business sales up 23.5% to 18,903.
In terms of alimentation, diesel is down -24.4% to 5,758 for the month, petrol up 5.3% to 59,766, Mild hybrids (MHEV) soar 25% to 28,350, BEV surge 58.7% to 24,512 and 16.9% share vs. 12.4% in May 2022, PHEV are up 23% to 9,025 and HEV are up 22.2% to 17,792. Year-to-date, diesel is down -17.9% to 31,325, petrol up 13.2% to 327,210, MHEV are up 19.3% to 144,677, BEV up 31.1% to 121,268 and 15.7% share vs. 14% over the first 5 months of 2022, PHEV up 13.4% to 49,385 and HEV up 28.8% to 98,679.
Source: SMMT
Audi (+30.4%) spectacularly takes the lead of the brands ranking for the first time in UK history with 8.1% share, just 121 sales above Volkswagen (+11.3%). Ford (-1.2%) underperforms at #3 but stays #2 year-to-date. Kia (+5.2%) repeats at #4 above Vauxhall (+12.5%) and Toyota (+16.1%). MG (+100.6%) and Nissan (+55.8%) score very impressive year-on-year upticks in the remainder of the Top 10 whereas BMW (-7.2%) and Hyundai (+4.4%) struggle. Below, Tesla (+6778%), Cupra (+96.1%), Mazda (+84.4%), Volvo (+76.6%) and Skoda (+52.2%) stand out.
Model-wise, the Ford Puma (+16.9%) repeats at #1 for its third ever victory (add August 2021) and snaps the year-to-date top spot as a result. The Nissan Qashqai (+38.9%) rallies back up four spots on April to #2 ahead of the Vauxhall Mokka (+138.2%). The Vauxhall Corsa (-31.2%) is down two to #4 and falls to #2 year-to-date. The Audi A3 repeats at #4 above the Hyundai Tucson (+29.5%). The Volvo XC40 surges to #7, its highest ranking so far this year. The Nissan Juke (#8), Tesla Model Y (#9) and Toyota Yaris (#10) are all back inside the Top 10.
Previous month: UK April 2023: Audi teases VW for #1 brand, Ford Puma manages 2nd ever win
One year ago: UK May 2022: Ford (-2.9%) resists, places Kuga at #3 in market accelerating its fall (-20.6%)
Full May 2023 Top 45 All brands and Top 10 models below.
UK May 2023 – brands:
| Pos | Brand | May-23 | % | /22 | Apr | 2023 | % | /22 | Pos | FY22 |
| 1 | Audi | 11,808 | 8.1% | 30.4% | 2 | 55,885 | 7.2% | 21.2% | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | Volkswagen | 11,687 | 8.0% | 11.3% | 1 | 64,436 | 8.3% | 45.7% | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | Ford | 10,970 | 7.6% | -1.2% | 3 | 57,684 | 7.5% | 13.3% | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Kia | 8,976 | 6.2% | 5.2% | 4 | 49,166 | 6.4% | 1.9% | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | Vauxhall | 8,879 | 6.1% | 12.5% | 5 | 39,578 | 5.1% | 4.6% | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | Toyota | 8,325 | 5.7% | 16.1% | 8 | 46,604 | 6.0% | 13.4% | 5 | 5 |
| 7 | BMW | 8,025 | 5.5% | -7.2% | 6 | 40,675 | 5.3% | -7.7% | 6 | 4 |
| 8 | Hyundai | 7,260 | 5.0% | 4.4% | 7 | 37,916 | 4.9% | 14.2% | 8 | 9 |
| 9 | Nissan | 6,484 | 4.5% | 55.8% | 13 | 37,341 | 4.8% | 43.8% | 9 | 10 |
| 10 | MG | 6,304 | 4.3% | 100.6% | 12 | 32,017 | 4.1% | 62.6% | 11 | 13 |
| 11 | Mercedes | 5,816 | 4.0% | -24.6% | 11 | 34,617 | 4.5% | -11.6% | 10 | 8 |
| 12 | Skoda | 5,720 | 3.9% | 52.2% | 10 | 28,000 | 3.6% | 54.4% | 12 | 14 |
| 13 | Peugeot | 5,171 | 3.6% | 2.3% | 9 | 25,702 | 3.3% | -3.3% | 13 | 12 |
| 14 | Volvo | 4,835 | 3.3% | 76.6% | 15 | 20,461 | 2.6% | 21.0% | 15 | 17 |
| 15 | Tesla | 3,439 | 2.4% | 6778.0% | 25 | 18,607 | 2.4% | 18.5% | 17 | 11 |
| 16 | Land Rover | 3,391 | 2.3% | -6.7% | 14 | 23,224 | 3.0% | 23.8% | 14 | 16 |
| 17 | Mini | 3,099 | 2.1% | -7.9% | 16 | 18,704 | 2.4% | 1.3% | 16 | 15 |
| 18 | Dacia | 2,540 | 1.7% | 13.5% | 17 | 13,050 | 1.7% | 34.0% | 22 | 20 |
| 19 | Renault | 2,385 | 1.6% | 41.3% | 18 | 13,121 | 1.7% | 3.8% | 21 | 18 |
| 20 | Mazda | 2,277 | 1.6% | 84.4% | 20 | 13,219 | 1.7% | 29.6% | 20 | 21 |
| 21 | Citroen | 2,205 | 1.5% | -19.1% | 21 | 13,996 | 1.8% | 10.2% | 18 | 19 |
| 22 | Seat | 1,973 | 1.4% | 4.3% | 24 | 13,618 | 1.8% | 28.0% | 19 | 23 |
| 23 | Porsche | 1,920 | 1.3% | 32.0% | 23 | 9,850 | 1.3% | 44.7% | 25 | 25 |
| 24 | Cupra | 1,908 | 1.3% | 96.1% | 22 | 9,106 | 1.2% | 137.9% | 26 | 27 |
| 25 | Suzuki | 1,878 | 1.3% | 31.1% | 26 | 10,172 | 1.3% | 24.2% | 24 | 26 |
| 26 | Honda | 1,505 | 1.0% | -17.8% | 19 | 12,098 | 1.6% | 3.8% | 23 | 22 |
| 27 | Lexus | 1,459 | 1.0% | 131.2% | 29 | 4,904 | 0.6% | 14.4% | 30 | 29 |
| 28 | Jaguar | 1,341 | 0.9% | 21.7% | 30 | 5,311 | 0.7% | -4.0% | 29 | 28 |
| 29 | Polestar | 1,034 | 0.7% | 141.6% | 28 | 5,739 | 0.7% | 152.3% | 28 | 30 |
| 30 | Fiat | 950 | 0.7% | -34.8% | 27 | 8,190 | 1.1% | -11.8% | 27 | 24 |
| 31 | DS | 199 | 0.1% | -32.1% | 31 | 1,252 | 0.2% | 11.7% | 31 | 31 |
| 32 | Ineos | 182 | 0.1% | new | 37 | 276 | 0.0% | new | 39 | – |
| 33 | Subaru | 134 | 0.1% | 123.3% | 38 | 796 | 0.1% | 78.9% | 33 | 37 |
| 34 | SsangYong | 125 | 0.1% | 28.9% | 32 | 692 | 0.1% | 4.1% | 34 | 36 |
| 35 | Alfa Romeo | 111 | 0.1% | -14.0% | 34 | 597 | 0.1% | -4.5% | 36 | 34 |
| 36 | Bentley | 109 | 0.1% | -41.7% | 33 | 663 | 0.1% | -11.8% | 35 | 33 |
| 37 | Genesis | 104 | 0.1% | 166.7% | 36 | 564 | 0.1% | 200.0% | 37 | 39 |
| 38 | Jeep | 98 | 0.1% | -59.0% | 35 | 1,235 | 0.2% | 22.0% | 32 | 32 |
| 39 | Maserati | 75 | 0.1% | 27.1% | 39 | 459 | 0.1% | 45.7% | 38 | 40 |
| 40 | Abarth | 35 | 0.0% | -88.7% | 40 | 180 | 0.0% | -75.0% | 41 | 35 |
| 41 | Alpine | 35 | 0.0% | 105.9% | 43 | 142 | 0.0% | 20.3% | 42 | 41 |
| 42 | Ora | 33 | 0.0% | new | 44 | 258 | 0.0% | new | 40 | 42 |
| 43 | BYD | 21 | 0.0% | new | 42 | 84 | 0.0% | new | 44 | – |
| 44 | Smart | 16 | 0.0% | -88.3% | 41 | 129 | 0.0% | -81.5% | 43 | 38 |
| 45 | Maxus | 3 | 0.0% | new | 45 | 7 | 0.0% | new | 45 | – |
| – | Other British | 223 | 0.2% | 45.8% | – | 1,437 | 0.2% | 48.1% | – | – |
| – | Other Imports | 137 | 0.1% | 26.9% | – | 692 | 0.1% | 1.0% | – | – |
UK May 2023 – models:
| Pos | Model | May-23 | % | /22 | Apr | 2023 | % | /22 | Pos | FY22 |
| 1 | Ford Puma | 4,184 | 2.9% | 16.9% | 1 | 17,312 | 2.2% | 12.2% | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | Nissan Qashqai | 3,140 | 2.2% | 38.9% | 6 | 16,751 | 2.2% | 23.2% | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | Vauxhall Mokka | 3,066 | 2.1% | 138.2% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 4 | Vauxhall Corsa | 3,028 | 2.1% | -31.2% | 2 | 17,062 | 2.2% | -0.8% | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | Audi A3 | 3,018 | 2.1% | n/a | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 6 | Hyundai Tucson | 2,712 | 1.9% | 29.5% | 4 | 15,090 | 2.0% | 23.5% | 5 | 7 |
| 7 | Volvo XC40 | 2,699 | 1.9% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 8 | Nissan Juke | 2,534 | 1.7% | n/a | n/a | 15,124 | 2.0% | n/a | 4 | n/a |
| 9 | Tesla Model Y | 2,509 | 1.7% | n/a | n/a | 14,012 | 1.8% | 80.2% | 7 | 3 |
| 10 | Toyota Yaris | 2,484 | 1.7% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| n/a | Kia Sportage | 2,344 | 1.6% | 3.7% | 3 | 14,976 | 1.9% | 12.1% | 6 | 6 |
| n/a | Ford Fiesta | 2,241 | 1.5% | n/a | 8 | 12,714 | 1.6% | n/a | 8 | 10 |
| n/a | Mini | 2,038 | 1.4% | -19.7% | 10 | 12,670 | 1.6% | -6.1% | 9 | 5 |
| n/a | VW T-Roc | 1,548 | 1.1% | n/a | 7 | 12,053 | 1.6% | n/a | 10 | n/a |
Source: SMMT
