Best-selling cars 2025: the year's 10 most popular models
These are officially Britain’s biggest-selling new cars so far in 2025
To earn a spot as one of the UK’s best-selling cars, manufacturers have to appeal to a wide variety of buyers, combining affordability, efficiency and practicality into one package.
From family hatchbacks and SUVs to dinky superminis, knowing which models are amongst the best-selling cars can help give an indication of which manufacturers are currently on top of their game and the cars you should consider when buying a new car.
We’ve now turned the page on 2025, and the UK’s best-selling cars of the year have been revealed by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
If you were paying attention, then it will come as no surprise that the Ford Puma was the best-selling car of the year, taking this title for the third year in a row.
The final two podium places were taken by the Kia Sportage, which gave the Puma a good run for its money over the course of the year, and the British-built Nissan Qashqai.
There’s no doubt that SUVs were once again incredibly popular with the car-buying public in 2025, but it wasn’t a complete SUV-fest as both the Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Golf carried the torch for small cars and family hatchbacks.
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How did the new car market perform in 2025?
For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019, the UK car market recorded over 2 million new registrations, representing a 3.5 per cent increase compared to 2024.
Electrified vehicles (battery electric cars, hybrid and plug-in hybrids) enjoyed a stonking year, just falling short of becoming the majority of the market with a share of 48.5 per cent. Therefore, internal combustion cars (petrol and diesel) narrowly remained the most popular fuel choice, taking a 51.5 per cent market share.
A total of 473,348 EVs hit UK roads in 2025 and accounted for almost one-in-four new car registrations or 23.4 per cent, making the UK the second largest EU country by volume. Cause for celebration might be short-lived though as this wasn’t quite enough to hit the Government’s 2025 ZEV mandate target of 28 per cent.
In a bid to increase EV uptake, the 2025 Autumn Budget saw the Government announce additional funding to extend the Electric Car Grant through to March 2030, while also uplifting the threshold in which EVs would be subjected to the VED Expensive Car Supplement from £40,000 to £50,000.
Future growth could be hampered, though, as the UK Government is planning on introducing an Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) pay-per-mile scheme which would see EV and plug-in hybrid cars be charged for every mile driven in addition to annual VED road tax from 2028.
Best-selling cars in December
The Ford Puma remained at the top of the sales table in December, with 4,680 units being registered. The nation's best-selling EV of 2025, the Tesla Model Y, had a strong end to the year with 3,737 registrations being recorded, while Volvo’s XC40 rounded-up the top-three with 3,319 registrations.
Chinese cars were a common sight in sales charts during 2025 and December was no different. 2,863 examples of the Jaecoo 7 went to new homes in December, putting it in sixth place for the month and beating top-selling stalwarts like the Nissan Juke and MINI Cooper.
Top 10 best-selling cars 2025
Without further ado, here are the UK’s official best-selling cars of 2025 according to data from the SMMT.
1. Ford Puma - 55,488
Having topped the charts in 2023 and 2024, it was no surprise to see the Ford Puma complete a hat-trick in 2025. Its success comes from the fact the Puma is one of the best cars to drive in its class and is good value for money. Plus a mid-life facelift and the roll-out of the fully electric Ford Puma Gen-E variant make this small car even more appealing.
The Puma could have its work cut out in 2026 and beyond, though, as fresh new competitors are continuing to arrive at a steady pace.
2. Kia Sportage - 47,788
The Kia Sportage was a frequent sight in the 2024 best-seller rankings, but it couldn’t quite get to number one. It was déjà vu in 2025 for this mid-size SUV. Despite topping the charts at various points throughout the year, the Sportage finished in second place once again
It’s not difficult to see why the latest Sportage is so popular though, as it has space, tech and comfort in droves. That seven-year/100,000-mile warranty is as attractive as ever, too.
3. Nissan Qashqai - 41,141
It’s been 20 years since the original Nissan Qashqai was unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, and over this time the car has grown into a household name for plenty of drivers and is a common sight on UK roads.
The latest model is a much bolder offering than its predecessors when it comes to styling, but there’s still an overall sense of familiarity where it matters. While it isn’t quite the top dog in the fiercely competitive mid-size SUV market, the Qashqai clearly still offers enough to appeal to lots of buyers.
4. Vauxhall Corsa - 35,947
Plenty of UK drivers have experienced at least one generation of Vauxhall Corsa in their lifetime, whether as a passenger, driver or even a learner. Following the demise of the Ford Fiesta, the Corsa remains one of the most recognisable names in the supermini market.
The latest generation offers loads of choice when it comes to trim, kit and powertrains (you can even have a hybrid, or a fully-electric model), and prices start from just under £19,000.
This small car couldn’t quite beat the SUVs above to become 2025’s best-seller, but it’s still an undeniably strong performer and one of the best superminis money can buy.
5. Nissan Juke - 34,773
It’s been with us since 2019, but the second-generation Nissan Juke continued to be a steady seller for the Japanese brand.
A mid-life facelift in 2024 helped this ageing SUV to keep up with its rivals, and its looks are as bold as ever. It would seem that this is enough to keep the Juke in the best-seller charts for the time being but the competition is heating up.
6. Volkswagen Golf - 32,478
Whether you want a family car, hot hatchback or even an estate car, there’s a Volkswagen Golf to suit your needs.
While the eighth-generation model initially got off to a troublesome start (largely thanks to some irritating tech and haptic buttons), the revised Mk8.5 version has set out to right some of these wrongs. And it would appear that Volkswagen's efforts have paid off because the Golf remains a firm favourite with new-car buyers and a stalwart in the top-10 best-selling cars list.
7. Volvo XC40 - 30,404
The Volvo XC40 has come into its stride of late, and the UK car-buying population has clearly taken this small Swedish SUV under its wing.
Competitive pricing and tasty finance deals must have played a part, as you could get a mild hybrid XC40 from just under £36,000. The XC40 was not just one of the most affordable models Volvo sells, but was also a shade cheaper than other premium small SUVs like the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 – if still more than mainstream alternatives.
The XC40’s also among the more stylish cars in this class, and the interior has an understated aura too, while there’s more space than you might expect given the car’s 4.4-metre length. Throw in a stellar reputation for safety and a range of punchy (if not class-leadingly frugal) engines and it’s not hard to see why the Volvo’s become a hit with buyers.
8. MG HS - 30,191
As a brand, MG has been going from strength to strength since its UK return, and in 2025 the MG HS was further proof that cars that are well equipped, spacious, economical and good value for money are a winning formula with buyers.
There’s plenty of choice available with a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or pure-petrol powertrain, and a competitive starting price of just over £26,000 helps it stands out in a crowded market.
This mid-size SUV also comes with a generous amount of kit as standard and is a straightforward family car with a long seven-year/80,000-mile warranty.
9. Volkswagen Tiguan - 29,857
Many people appreciate a no-nonsense approach, so we’re not surprised that the Volkswagen Tiguan was within the top sellers in 2025 as it’s a pretty solid all-rounder that’s good at ticking many of the essential boxes.
The Volkswagen Tiguan is practical, well built, efficient and feels a bit more premium inside than it actually is. Company car drivers are best catered for by the plug-in hybrid model which, with an all-electric range of up to 77 miles according to VW and low Benefit in Kind tax, which should help keep running costs in check.
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10. Hyundai Tucson - 28,613
The Hyundai Tucson is a serial winner at the Auto Express New Car Awards and it appears to have impressed plenty of buyers in 2025 as well, with sales accelerating since earlier in the year, and bumping the Tucson up the top ten.
Not only does it have striking looks, intuitive on-board tech and a premium-feeling cabin which wouldn’t be out of place on more expensive and high-end models, the Tuscon’s recent mid-life refresh has helped it keep with its rivals.
Sales vs registrations: inside the numbers
There’s an important distinction to be made where the UK’s monthly and annual ‘car sales’ figures are concerned. Namely, that they don’t actually count the number of cars sold in the sense that many people might expect. The numbers provided by the SMMT are for car ‘registrations’ rather than being sales figures.
When customers buy a new car, it is registered before it can be driven on the road, but cars are also registered by manufacturers and dealers before they have a customer to go to.
This practice of processing pre-registered cars is done for various reasons, but often the goal is to move stock through the supply chain, avoiding bottlenecks or to hit targets. It means that a significant proportion of the cars in the figures could be pre-registered, and estimates of how many range between 10 and 20 per cent.
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