UK Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Mar)

Registrations were up 12% for March and up 6% YTD. That's still at a level below the best years but good compared to recent history. 

VW is now well established at the top, a position it took in 2021 from Ford. BMW retains its second placing, just ahead of Kia. Ford has made a comeback, moving up a place compared to 2024. 

Peugeot climbed to eight places to 5th and Nissan up two to 6th despite the latter dropping some market share. Vauxhall has also gained two ranking places to 9th.

Brands importing from China are making gains and with no tariff hurdle into the UK that I'm aware of will likely make further inroads. If only cars going the other way had the same favourable conditions. 

MG is at 12th place (down from 10th in 2024), BYD is up to 21st (31st), Jaecoo 33rd (52nd), Omoda 34th (33rd), Leapmotor and Xpeng new, GWM Ora has dropped from 40th to 49th and Skywell is going nowhere. 

One thing is for certain, all these new brands are making for long lists. 

Best selling models:

Ford Puma - 14,930

Kia Sportage - 12,866

Nissan Qashqai - 11,792 (pic above)

Vauxhall Corsa - 11,476 

VW Golf - 10,749

Nissan Juke - 10,414

MG HS - 9,738

VW Tiguan - 9,140

MG ZS - 9,041

Hyundai Tucson - 8,715

For the 2024 article, simply click on the link below:

By brand.

Data source: SMMT (mainly).

Picture Source: Nissan.

Lucid Deliveries/Production : 2025 (Q1)

Deliveries were up 58% for the first quarter, reaching 3,109. It was also the best quarter yet, albeit by a slender margin. Production was also up, 63% in this case. The local number was 2,212 with over 600 kits sent to Saudi Arabia for assembly there. As I don't know how much in excess of 600 it was, I added exactly that number. 

A good result although if the kits going to Saudi Arabia are not yet counted as deliveries, then the 3,109 sales were well over the 2,212 produced. The press release lacks the detail to clarify that so best to see it at face value as a good result and let Lucid concern itself with inventory levels.

Data source: Lucid.

Rivian Deliveries & Production Figures : 2025 (Q1)

Rivian delivered 8,640 vehicles in Q1 2025, which was down 36% compared to the corresponding quarter a year earlier. 

First quarters can be lower as was the case in 2023 when just 16% of sales were in Q1. 

However, that was early in the life of the company and 2014 quarters were more even.

                              So the 2025 Q1 figure is disappointing whatever way we try to look at it. Rivian has a target of 46,000 for the year or 11,500 per quarter so the next three will have to be much better to achieve that. 

At first glance, the fact the company made 14,611 for Q1 seems too high. The explanation is that a new model (R2 picture above) is coming in 2026 so later this year production will be compromised as the factory is readied for that. So inventory is being built up to meet sales demand while production is affected.

Data source: Rivian.