The ever-popular Ford Puma is now confirmed as the UK’s best-selling new car of 2025, continuing its sales dominance after its table-topping performance in 2024.
According to results published this morning by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 2025 was a year of steady but slow sales growth for the new car market, with total registrations growing by 4% year-on-year to surpass two million sales for the first time since pre-covid 2019.
In year-to-date sales, the Puma finished the year with a sales buffer of around 7,700 new models – a confident sales lead over the Kia Sportage, which was resigned to second place for the second year running.
Besides the small Ford SUV outselling cars of all shapes and sizes in the past year, the biggest sales story of 2025 has been the rise of Chinese automotive newcomers, at the expense of established brands. Chery-owned brands Omoda and Jaecoo are becoming a popular choice for UK buyers, and while it’s yet to make the annual top ten, the Jaecoo 7 is becoming a regular monthly top ten sales contender, which bodes well for its Chinese manufacturer heading into 2026.
Meanwhile, US automaker Tesla is in decline, with sales falling 10%. While two Tesla models made the December top ten – the Model Y and Model 3 – those models finished in first and second place in December 2024, instead of last month’s second and ninth. Tesla isn’t the only brand with falling sales however – Citroën, Fiat, Honda, SEAT, Suzuki and Toyota recorded even sharper sales declines in 2025.
Nissan also saw its sales fall by 10% when compared to the year prior, but its Qashqai SUV and Juke crossover still recorded third and fifth place finishes respectively in the annual chart. The British-built Qashqai was the UK’s best-selling new car not that long ago, but has lost out to the Puma and Sportage for two consecutive years now.
Another former UK best-seller, the Vauxhall Corsa finished the year in fourth as the only supermini-class model in the top ten. Small and mid-sized SUVs proved to be far more popular with UK buyers at dealerships than any other body style in 2025.
Volkswagen still holds the biggest share of the UK’s new car market, recording a 7% sales bump last year. The German brand’s Golf and Tiguan models were mainstays in sales leaderboard throughout 2025.
Top ten best-sellers chart, December 2025
| Rank | Brand | Registrations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford Puma | 4,680 |
| 2 | Tesla Model Y | 3,737 |
| 3 | Volvo XC40 | 3,319 |
| 4 | MG ZS | 3,294 |
| 5 | Nissan Qashqai | 2,887 |
| 6 | Jaecoo 7 | 2,863 |
| 7 | MG HS | 2,803 |
| 8 | Mini Cooper | 2,581 |
| 9 | Tesla Model 3 | 2,549 |
| 10 | Nissan Juke | 2,326 |
Top ten best-sellers chart for 2025
| Rank | Brand | Registrations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford Puma | 55,488 |
| 2 | Kia Sportage | 47,788 |
| 3 | Nissan Qashqai | 41,141 |
| 4 | Vauxhall Corsa | 35,947 |
| 5 | Nissan Juke | 34,773 |
| 6 | Volkswagen Golf | 32,478 |
| 7 | Volvo XC40 | 30,404 |
| 8 | MG HS | 30,191 |
| 9 | Volkswagen Tiguan | 29,857 |
| 10 | Hyundai Tucson | 28,613 |
Britain’s best-selling cars of 2024
1. Ford Puma
The Ford Puma has sold in impressive numbers throughout 2025, and while the car’s sales form has dipped here and there, it has held on to the top spot for most of last year, and finished 2025 with almost 8,000 more new sales than any other car in the UK.
The Puma has received plenty of praise from the UK motoring media, and currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 65% on our unique Expert Rating Index.
2. Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage was so close to taking the UK’s best-selling car title in 2024, before the SUV fell at the final sales hurdle in December. 2025 was a similar story, with the race for first not being as close. While the Kia SUV sold in impressive numbers last year, finishing top of the monthly charts on several occasions in 2025, it couldn’t match the sales consistency of the Puma.
The new Kia Sportage currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 72% on our award-winning Expert Rating Index.
3. Nissan Qashqai
The Nissan Qashqai remains one of the nation’s most popular cars – a claim validated by the SUV’s top ten sales consistency. Formerly the UK’s best-selling car in 2022, the mid-sized family car was bested by the similarly-sized Kia Sportage last year.
The Qashqai is the current jewel in the crown of the British car manufacturing industry – designed in London, developed in the Midlands and built in Sunderland. It’s also the UK’s best-selling British-built car. On sale since Autumn 2021, the Qashqai holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 74%.
4. Vauxhall Corsa
Compact and affordable – the Vauxhall Corsa supermini is a British favourite. While the hatchback has now been surpassed by the Ford Puma, the Corsa is still posting strong registrations totals, but still sits behind the Nissan Qashqai finishing fourth in 2025.
The Vauxhall Corsa currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 65%, while its all-electric counterpart holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 71%.
5. Nissan Juke
On sale since 2019, the UK-built Nissan Juke has established itself as a popular choice of British motorists in the last year, as a cheaper and more compact alternative to the bigger Qashqai.
While the compact crossover couldn’t quite match the sales numbers of its larger sibling throughout 2025, it remains a top ten contender, which is another impressive sales feat for Nissan.
The Juke currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 68%. That puts it squarely in the middle of a crowded compact SUV class.
6. Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen is the UK’s most popular car manufacturer by total sales numbers, but it took until last year for one of its models to firmly cement itself in the top ten places. That model is the mid-sized Golf, held on to finish in sixth. The family car has never recorded table-topping registration totals, but sold in very consistent numbers throughout 2025, earning its place in the mid-table.
The Volkswagen Golf currently holds an excellent New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 77%.
7. Volvo XC40
One of Volvo’s oldest but also cheapest models, the XC40 has sold in commendable but inconsistent numbers in the UK this year. The biggest sales totals surprise in December, the XC40 managed to jump three places up the annual table in the final month of the year to snatch seventh.
The Volvo XC40 currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 66% in our Expert Rating index.
8. MG HS
Focusing on offering value-for-money models with pricing that undercuts other brands, MG proved to be quite a popular motoring marque last year – the large HS currently being its most popular offering. The large SUV finished in eighth, not far behind the XC40.
The MG HS currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 75% in our Expert Rating index.
9. Volkswagen Tiguan
Volkswagen’s answer to the popular Qashqai, the Tiguan was yo-yoing between 8th and 10th on the annual leaderboard in the Summer months. After being absent from the top ten in both May and June, and much improved sales form towards the end of the year, the SUV fell two places at the final hurdle – loosing out to the XC40 and HS.
The Volkswagen Tiguan currently holds a commendable New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 76% in our industry-leading Expert Rating Index.
10. Hyundai Tucson
A key rival of the Kia Sportage an Nissan Qashqai, the Hyundai Tucson has been a regular top ten performer in recent years. The SUV finished in tenth in the annual sales charts, after spending most of the Spring outside this best-sellers list.
The Hyundai Tucson currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 74% in our Expert Rating Index.
That’s 2025 over and done with! But the new car sales don’t stop. We will be back with January’s new car registration results in the first week of February, as the 2026 race for the Uk’s best-selling car accolade commences. Check back soon!
