UK Car Registrations May 2012

(Friday 8 June 2012)

The Vauxhall Corsa was the most-registered car in the UK in May, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. This is not necessarily the same thing as being the one that sold in the highest numbers, but it does provide some contrast to a table which usually has the Ford Fiesta sitting comfortably on top.

In fact the Fiesta was only slightly behind in May (8337 units to the Corsa's 8413) and remains well ahead for the year to date. Its 2012 figure so far is 50,507, with the Corsa next on 38,347 and the Focus third - as it also was in May - on 36,916.

May was quite a spectacular month for registrations, which were 7.9% up on the 2011 figure. A 14.3% growth in private registrations was partly responsible, and so too was a 4.8% increase (the first for three months) in fleet ones.

Among reasonably large manufacturers which were selling significant numbers of cars a year ago, there are four showing growth of over 20% in their year-to-date registrations, namely Chevrolet, Land Rover, Porsche and Kia. At the other end of the scale, Mitsubishi, Alfa Romeo and Subaru are among the fastest fallers - not to quite the same extent as Renault, though that can be explained by the French brand's decision to axe five model lines and a third of its UK dealer network at the turn of the year.