The trusted voice of the industry
for more than 30 years

New-car sales lag behind 10-year average

Industry organisation in the UK says confidence is growing but admits a full recovery remains a long way off.
Posted on 06 May, 2021
New-car sales lag behind 10-year average

New-car sales in the UK last month were 12.9 per cent lower than the 10-year average, according to new figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

There were 141,583 registrations in April 2021 compared to an average of 162,537 units for the same month over the past decade. 

However, it dwarfed the 4,321 sales in the same month a year ago when the country was in a coronavirus lockdown.

Last month’s sales were also impacted by Covid-19 with showrooms only able to open to customers on April 12 following the latest pandemic restrictions.

Plug-in vehicles broadly followed the sales trends of recent months and accounted for just over one in eight vehicles, or 13.2 of the total market. 

Year-to-date registrations now stand at 567,108 units, which is 32.5 per cent lower than the average of 839,804 recorded over the past decade.

The SMMT has lifted its forecasts upwards from 1.83 million – based on a snap poll in February – to about 1.86m new cars to be registered by the end of the year, a 13.9 per cent increase on 2020.

This revised figure will still be 20.2 per cent lower than the average of 2.33m registrations a year recorded between 2010 and 2019. 

Mike Hawes, pictured, SMMT’s chief executive, says: “After one of the darkest years in automotive history, there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

“A full recovery for the sector is still some way off, but with showrooms open and consumers able to test drive the latest, cleanest models, the industry can begin to rebuild. 

“Market confidence is improving, and we now expect to finish the year in a slightly better position than anticipated in February, largely thanks to the more upbeat business and consumer confidence created by the successful vaccine rollout.”