Covid-19 and the UK new car market

New car registration figures for the UK released today by SMMT reveal the continuing impact on the market caused by the coronavirus crisis. In June last year there were 223,421 new cars sold but that figure fell by 35 percent to just 145,377 in 2020. While the biggest year-on-year decreases were observed in April and May, the figures for June do little to brighten the picture for the UK car industry. Comparing the year to date numbers as of 30 June, there has so far been a 49 percent drop compared to last year.

Commenting on the figures Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: "While it’s welcome to see demand rise above the rock-bottom levels we saw during lockdown, this is not a recovery and barely a restart. Many of June’s registrations could be attributed to customers finally being able to collect their pre-pandemic orders, and appetite for significant spending remains questionable."