These are the most popular cars in the UK right now…

The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revealed the top 10 best-selling cars of March 2024, with the Nissan Qashqai taking the top spot. It knocked the Ford Puma out of first place compared to February, however the Ford is still the most popular car of 2024 so far.

Here are the top 10 best-selling cars of March 2024:

1. Nissan Qashqai
2. Ford Puma
3. Kia Sportage
4. Nissan Juke
5. Audi A3
6. Vauxhall Corsa
7. Mercedes A-Class
8. Volkswagen Golf
9. Tesla Model Y
10. MG HS

1) Nissan Qashqai

• Number sold: 8,931
• Unique selling point: No-nonsense practicality
• Wowscore: 8/10
• Average Carwow saving: £3,624*

Almost 9,000 people bought a new Nissan Qashqai in March, making it the most popular car in the UK last month. This family SUV offers decent practicality and generous standard equipment.

The boot isn’t the biggest in this class, and the infotainment system is a bit laggy, but the Qashqai makes up for this by being comfortable to drive and easy to live with.

2) Ford Puma

• Number sold: 8,318
• Unique selling point: Genuinely fun to drive
• Wowscore: 8/10
• Average Carwow saving: £2,134*

The Ford Puma is a great small SUV, something which is backed up by 8,318 sales in March. It’s not only a funky-looking thing, it’s also properly fun to drive on a twisty road and easy to manoeuvre in town.

It may not have the most spacious rear seats, but the Puma’s boot is massive for a car of this size. It comes fully loaded with tech as well.

3) Kia Sportage

• Number sold: 7,445
• Unique selling point: Reassuring seven-year warranty
• Wowscore: 8/10
• Average Carwow saving: £2,894*

Coming in at number three we have the Kia Sportage, with almost 7,500 of these SUVs finding new homes across the UK. The Sportage makes a family car thanks to its massive boot and spacious back seats.

The front-end styling won’t be to everyone’s taste, but the interior is a lovely place to spend time and it’s generously equipped. The hybrid engine is smooth and economical as well.

4) Nissan Juke

• Number sold: 7,346
• Unique selling point: Stand-out styling
• Wowscore: 6/10
• Average Carwow saving: £3,124*

The Nissan Juke certainly stands out from the crowd, and this unique styling caught the eye of 7,346 buyers in March. It may not be as practical as the Ford Puma, but the Juke makes a case for itself by being great value for money.

It’s pretty inexpensive to buy, and you still get a lot of safety kit as standard. The Juke has also recently been updated with an improved interior, which may have driven sales of the outgoing car as there are some great deals to be had.

5) Audi A3

• Number sold: 6,010
• Unique selling point: Properly posh
• Wowscore: 7/10
• Average Carwow saving: £2,099*

Us Brits love a posh German hatchback, which is why the Audi A3 proved so popular in March. Over 6,000 new A3s found homes, and it’s easy to see why. You get a stylish exterior, a properly posh interior and loads of tech as standard.

A BMW 1 Series may be more fun to drive, but the A3 is geared more towards comfort and this is something it does very well. You also have a wide range of great engines to choose from.

6) Vauxhall Corsa

• Number sold: 5,952
• Unique selling point: Great value for money
• Wowscore: 7/10
• Average Carwow saving: £5,219*

The Vauxhall Corsa has been around in one form or another for decades now, and the latest iteration is a consistent best-seller. Close to 6,000 were sold in March, and there’s plenty to like about this small hatchback.

It looks smart, especially after the mid-life update which launched a few months ago, and it’s a comfortable car to drive. It may not have the most spacious rear seats, but the Corsa makes up for this with a long list of standard equipment.

7) Mercedes A-Class

• Number sold: 5,892
• Unique selling point: Classy image
• Wowscore: 6/10

Now for the second premium German hatchback on the list, the Mercedes A-Class. It may be lagging behind the Audi A3 in terms of popularity, but there were still 5,892 of these classy cars sold in March.

The A-Class not only looks sleek, it’s also easy and relaxing to drive. The interior quality may not be up to par with the A3, and the boot isn’t that big either, but the A-Class has plenty of curb appeal to make up for this.

8) Volkswagen Golf

• Number sold: 5,631
• Unique selling point: A jack of all trades
• Wowscore: 7/10
• Average Carwow saving: £2,364*

The Volkswagen Golf is one of the best all-rounders out there, which is why it proved so popular in March. It may not be the most exciting option out there, but it’s all the car most people realistically need.

It offers great practicality, it’s comfortable to drive and you get all the latest technology. Unless you need to carry more than five people, there’s a Golf to suit your needs.

9) Tesla Model Y

• Number sold: 5,602
• Unique selling point: Space-aged tech
• Wowscore: 8/10

Despite the growing popularity of electric cars last month – EV sales were up by 10% – the Tesla Model Y is the only EV to make it into the top 10 for March. It’s a great family car, offering palatial interior space and sports car-scaring performance.

It may not be the prettiest car in this class, and it’s not that comfortable over bumps. The Model Y makes up for this though by having an insane amount of tech on board, as well as great range.

10) MG HS

• Number sold: 5,460
• Unique selling point: Well priced
• Wowscore: 5/10
• Average Carwow saving: £2,572*

Sneaking in at number 10 is the MG HS, with 5,460 drivers being tempted in by the low starting price. You get a lot of space for your money, although it doesn’t feel like a particularly high-quality product inside.

At least it’s comfortable to drive though, and you get plenty of standard equipment. The interior looks pretty snazzy as well, even if the material quality isn’t great.

*Average savings correct at the time of writing

Best-selling cars of 2023 revealed: UK car market records its best year since the pandemic

Last year saw the UK market record its best 12 months since the pandemic according to SMMT data, with new car registrations up 17.9% in 2023 compared to the previous year. Sales still haven’t reached pre-pandemic levels, with new registrations still down by around 250,000 in comparison to 2019.

This growth was entirely driven by a spike in fleet sales, which grew by a whopping 38.7% compared to 2022. Private car sales actually fell by 0.1%, while business sales were 1.5% down in 2023.

Electric cars also saw a surge in popularity in 2023, with a 17.8% increase year-on-year and 314,687 EVs wafting off forecourts. Plug-in hybrid sales increased by a whopping 39.3%, and there was a 13.5% jump in the sale of petrol-powered models. Diesel cars appear to be falling out of favour though, with a 13.8% drop in sales for 2023.

The Ford Puma took the sales top spot last year, with 49,591 of these sporty small SUVs finding homes. Below is a list of the top 10 best-selling cars of 2023:

1. Ford Puma: 49,591 sold
2. Nissan Qashqai: 43,321 sold
3. Vauxhall Corsa: 40,816 sold
4. Kia Sportage: 36,135 sold
5. Tesla Model Y: 35,899 sold
6. Hyundai Tucson: 34,469 sold
7. Mini 3-door Hatch: 33,385 sold
8. Nissan Juke: 31,745 sold
9. Audi A3: 30,159 sold
10. Vauxhall Mokka: 29,984 sold

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