The UK has now experienced two years of consistent new car market growth following July’s 2.5% rise, data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has revealed.
Like other months this year, July’s 147,517 deliveries were propped up by fleet sales, whose total of 91,521 represented a year-on-year rise of 13%.
The 11.1% year-on-year decline in private sales (to 53,356) means non-business deliveries now make up just 36.2% of the market. In mitigation, the SMMT said the growing popularity of salary-sacrifice purchasing will have contributed to this decline.
Private sales of EVs did increase, however, albeit by a marginal 0.9%.