Winners and losers from the UK car market in Q1 2022

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8 mins read

22 April 2022

The first quarter’s sales figures were dreadful: at 418,000, they were 36% down on where they were back in 2000, and 49% down on the peak reached in 2016. Here's a detailed look at who sold what based on the latest Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) data.

Alfa Romeo

2021 market share 0.07%; 2022 market share: 0.09%; quarter one registrations: 395; best-selling model: Alfa Romeo Giulia

Sales of the Giulia increased slightly, but don’t get too excited: it was still outsold 20:1 by the BMW 3 Series.

Alpine

2021 market share 0.01%; 2022 market share: 0.02%; quarter one registrations: 78; best-selling model Alpine A110

Alpine’s determination to turn the sports car from a model into a range is having some success – albeit from the lowest of bases.

Aston Martin

2021 market share 0.07%; 2022 market share: 0.08%; quarter one registrations: 341; best-selling model: Aston Martin DBX

The DBX is helping to increase market share and Aston will be hoping that the new 707 will maintain momentum.

Audi

2021 market share: 6.91%; 2022 market share: 6.51%; quarter one registrations: 27,199; best-selling model: Audi A3

It is no coincidence that the biggest fall has come from the Audi A1. With supply chain shortages, Audi is prioritising production of larger cars. The A3 is still the best-seller, but its lead over the Audi Q2 has been slashed.

Bentley

2021 market share: 0.07%; 2022 market share: 0.10%; quarter one registrations: 438; best-selling model: Bentley Bentayga

Global results are good, but UK growth is moderate, considering that Bentley used to achieve 0.07% before the Bentayga arrived.

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BMW

2021 market share: 7.51%; 2022 market share: 6.68%; quarter one registrations: 27,913; best-selling model: 3 Series

No surprise that sales of the 1, 2 and 3 Series are all down while sales of the BMW X1 and BMW X3 are up: profit margins on crossovers are higher than on saloons.

Citroën

2021 market share: 2.02%; 2022 market share: 1.80%; quarter one registrations: 7527; best-selling model: Citroen C3

None of its mainstream models (C3, Citroen C3 Aircross, Citroen C4, Citroen C5 Aircross) are in the top 10 in their respective segments, which leaves Citroën as a bit of an also-ran.

Cupra

2021 market share: 0.22%; 2022 market share: 0.45%; quarter one registrations: 1895; best-selling model: Cupra Formentor

The Formentor is steadily marching up the league table of compact crossovers, which suggests that Cupra is doing a good job of establishing the brand.

Dacia

2021 market share: 0.77%; 2022 market share: 1.28%; quarter one registrations: 5347; best-selling model: Dacia Sandero

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As expected, Dacia is turning into one of the big winners of 2022, thanks to the new Sandero and Jogger.

DS

2021 market share: 0.10%; 2022 market share: 0.17%; quarter one registrations: 704; best-selling model: DS 3 Crossback

DS 3 sales are up a bit, but combined registrations of the 4, 7 and 9 are fewer than 150 this quarter – including dealer demonstrators and management cars.

Ferrari

2021 market share 0.06%; 2022 market share: 0.06%; quarter one registrations: 266; best-selling model: not listed

The most stable market share in the industry – the benefit of a reliable waiting list.

Fiat

2021 market share: 0.88%; 2022 market share: 1.51%; quarter one registrations: 6235; best-selling model: Fiat 500

The first surge in Fiat’s market share since the 500 in 2007. Inevitably, it is thanks to a new 500 – the Fiat 500 electric, which has got off to a strong start.

Ford

2021 market share: 8.48%; 2022 market share: 7.12%; quarter one registrations: 29,738; best-selling model: Ford Puma

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Having been the UK’s best-seller for a decade, the Ford Fiesta is no longer in the top 10. Ford has switched production to the more profitable Puma, which outsells the Fiesta almost two to one.

Honda

2021 market share: 1.06%; 2022 market share: 1.67%; quarter one registrations: 6965; best-selling model: Honda Jazz

After years of decline, the new – and far more stylish – Honda HR-V has given Honda a real shot in the arm. However, now the Swindon factory has closed, the Honda Civic is almost dead in the UK.

Hyundai

2021 market share: 3.15%; 2022 market share: 4.73%; quarter one registrations: 19,739; best-selling model: Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai is recovering well after a bad couple of years. The Tucson is now outselling both the Nissan Qashqai and Ford Kuga.

Jaguar

2021 market share: 1.21%; 2022 market share: 0.79%; quarter one registrations: 3311; best-selling model: Jaguar F-Pace

The F-Pace and Jaguar I-Pace now make up 78% of Jaguar sales. Saloons accounted for just 122 units this quarter.

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Jeep

2021 market share 0.20%; 2022 market share: 0.14%; quarter one registrations: 593; best-selling model: Jeep Renegade

Apart from the ultra-niche Jeep Wrangler, sales are falling again. The ironically named Jeep Compass is down 62% - which sums up a company that has entirely lost its sense of direction in the UK.

Kia

2021 market share 4.79%; 2022 market share: 7.69%; quarter one registrations: 32,119; best-selling model: Kia Sportage

Many people will be surprised that Kia is the UK’s number one brand so far this year, with both the best-selling city car (Kia Picanto) and the best-selling compact crossover (Sportage).

Land Rover

2021 market share 4.83%; 2022 market share: 2.54%; quarter one registrations: 10,601; best-selling model: Range Rover Evoque

The Evoque is still the best-seller, but it fell by 52% this quarter and was just 11 units ahead of the Range Rover Sport. The new Land Rover Defender is doing well – largely by replacing the Land Rover Discovery, which has dropped by 76% in the past two years.

Lexus

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2021 market share 0.80%; 2022 market share: 0.75%; quarter one registrations: 3141; best-selling model: Lexus UX

Lexus is doing moderate business as a maker of hybrid crossovers, which now account for 87% of all the company's sales.

Lotus

2021 market share 0.01%; 2022 market share: 0.02%; quarter one registrations: 63; best-selling model: not listed

This is one of the most important years in Lotus’s history: the new Emira has to be a success to justify the continuing support of its owner, Geely.

Maserati

2021 market share 0.04%; 2022 market share: 0.05%; quarter one registrations: 194; best-selling model: not listed

Production was planned to reach 75,000 by 2018 but it is currently running at 25,000. Three new models are scheduled for 2023, so maybe they will help.

Mazda

2021 market share 1.25%; 2022 market share: 1.61%; quarter one registrations: 6714; best-selling model: Maxda Mazda CX-30

The two big sellers are the CX-30 and Mazda CX-5 crossovers. However, the battery-electric Mazda MX-30 seems to be struggling a bit: its short, 124-mile range may be a deal-breaker for many.

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Mercedes-Benz

2021 market share 7.45%; 2022 market share: 5.96%; quarter one registrations: 24,893; best-selling model: Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes may be selling fewer cars, but it is making more money than ever. It has cut back on the A-Class (down 40%) in order to preserve production of more profitable models.

MG

2021 market share 1.45%; 2022 market share: 3.31%; quarter one registrations: 13,838; best-selling model: MG ZS

Surprisingly, MG is currently the best-selling ex-Rover brand, ahead of both Mini and Land Rover. Among the new car manufacturers, Tesla is getting all the attention, but MG is growing just as quickly.

Mini

2021 market share 2.54%; 2022 market share: 2.66%; quarter one registrations: 11,099; best-selling model: Mini Hatch

Market share tends to be very stable. Mini has always been good at aligning supply and demand.

Nissan

2021 market share 4.96%; 2022 market share: 3.84%; quarter one registrations: 16,041; best-selling model: Qashqai

Nissan is not having a good time: it has fallen to 11th place. The relatively new Qashqai is down by 30% and has been overtaken by the Sportage and Tucson.

Peugeot

2021 market share 3.69%; 2022 market share: 3.96%; quarter one registrations: 16,535; best-selling model: Peugeot 2008

Peugeot is easily the strongest of the French and Italian brands in the Stellantis empire. The Peugeot 208 is number five in supermini hatchbacks, and the 2008 is number six in supermini crossovers.

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Polestar

2021 market share: 0.22%; 2022 market share: 0.34%; quarter one registrations: 1438; best-selling model: Polestar 2

Polestar has solved the problem of why Scandinavian design was cool in everything except cars. It arguably has an image more aligned to 2022 than the traditional German brands.

Porsche

2021 market share 0.69%; 2022 market share: 1.03%; quarter one registrations: 4280; best-selling model: Porsche Taycan

The idea of Porsche becoming a 1% brand in the UK (or anywhere else) would have seemed preposterous at any point before 2022 . However, it gets the semiconductors lower-cost Volkswagen Group brands have to do without.

Renault

2021 market share 1.90%; 2022 market share: 2.06%; quarter one registrations: 8602; best-selling model: Renault Captur

The new Arkana has got off to a good start, but the established models are suffering. The once-mighty Renault Clio is being outsold by the Dacia Sandero.

Rolls-Royce

2021 market share 0.02%; 2022 market share: 0.03%; quarter one registrations: 123; best-selling model: Rolls-Royce Cullinan

A record market share, thanks to stable sales in a falling market. Globally, Rolls-Royce is doing very good business.

Seat

2021 market share 2.69%; 2022 market share: 1.63%; quarter one registrations: 6827; best-selling model: Seat Ateca

The fact that all Seat models have declined by a similar amount suggests the sales drop reflects constricted production rather than falling demand.

Skoda

2021 market share 3.35%; 2022 market share: 2.53%; quarter one registrations: 10,552; best-selling model: Skoda Karoq

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As with all parts of the VW Group, access to semiconductors is related to the profit the company makes: Porsche gets more chips; Skoda gets fewer.

Smart

2021 market share 0.10%; 2022 market share: 0.11%; quarter one registrations: 445; best-selling model: Fortwo

Current models are being offered with manufacturer discounts of 17%: it is still 2019 in Smart-world.

Ssangyong

2021 market share 0.06%; 2022 market share: 0.09%; quarter one registrations: 395; best-selling model: Skoda Ssangyong Korando

Pass the parcel continues: after failed ownerships by Daewoo, SAIC and Mahindra, the latest takeover by a Korean start-up has just failed. Never mind the car: fancy buying the company?

Subaru

2021 market share 0.07%; 2022 market share: 0.07%; quarter one registrations: 313; best-selling model: Subaru Outback

Pre-crisis, Subaru was selling one million cars a year globally (now 750,000, with massive order backlogs in the US). Quite why it bothers sending 1000-2000 per year to the UK is an open question.

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Suzuki

2021 market share 0.92%; 2022 market share: 1.29%; quarter one registrations: 5378; best-selling model: Suzuki Swift

Suzuki is one of the very few brands that has seen sales increases for every single model, with the Suzuki Ignis and Suzuki SX4 Suzuki S-Cross being the star performers.

Tesla

2021 market share 1.71%; 2022 market share: 3.72%; quarter one registrations: 15,553; best-selling model: Tesla Model Y

Note: Tesla figures are not reported separately by the SMMT. Fiigures are extracted from 'Other imports'.

Tesla had two models in the top 10 this quarter. That is more than Ford. The Model Y was at number six and Tesla Model 3 number seven.

Toyota

2021 market share 5.59%; 2022 market share: 6.66%; quarter one registrations: 27,817; best-selling model: Toyota C-HR

Toyota is up to fourth place overall in the UK, thanks to the success of the C-HR, with some help from the Toyota Corolla and Toyota RAV4.

Vauxhall

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2021 market share 5.83%, 2022 market share: 5.72%; quarter one registrations: 23,898; best-selling model: Vauxhall Corsa

The Corsa and Mokka represented 72% of Vauxhall’s sales. The firm will be hoping the new Vauxhall Astra can reduce its dependence on lower-margin B-segment cars.

Volkswagen

2021 market share 8.51%; 2022 market share: 6.33%; quarter one registrations: 26,417; best-selling model: Volkswagen Golf

Sales of all petrol and diesel models fell, while registrations of the Volkswagen ID 3 and Volkswagen ID 4 grew strongly. VW has said it will no longer chase sales targets: the future is all about profit margins.

Volvo

2021 market share 3.28%; 2022 market share: 2.67%; quarter one registrations: 11,159; best-selling model: Volvo XC40

As per current industry practice, the one Volvo model to show sales growth was its most profitable model – the Volvo XC90. Volvo market share should recover in 2023.

It was a good quarter to be selling…

Battery-electric vehicles: market share doubled to 15%, which was higher than diesel (10.3% share).

Top-of-the-range models: manufacturers prioritised more profitable models, so fewer superminis and more large SUVs.

Supermini crossovers: the share of crossovers in the supermini segment rose from 39% to 53% while the share of hatchbacks fell from 60% to 47%.

It was a bad quarter to be selling…

Small premium crossovers: for the first time, share of Evoque/XC40-type models fell, as manufacturers prioritised larger models.

Plug-in hybrids: although sales were up by 12%, they are being left behind by standard hybrids (up 52%) and BEVs (up 102%).

Anything low margin: as manufacturers maximise profits from limited volumes, the lowest-margin models are being sacrificed – whether that is a Fiesta or a Discovery Sport.

Facts and figures

Both Polestar and Cupra are now outselling the longer-established DS by more than two to one.

More than 50 years after the first Japanese brand came to the UK, an Asian manufacturer has taken the number one spot for the first time - but it's one from Korea.

The UK’s best-selling large MPV is no longer a car: the Ford Galaxy was outsold by the passenger version of the Vauxhall Vivaro van.

Some 82% of Fiat sales were from the 500, including the electric variant. Would '500' be a stronger brand without the Fiat badge?

David Francis