UK new car registrations rose 5.4% year-on-year to 152,730 units in October 2026, marking the 11th consecutive month of growth, though momentum eased following September’s seasonal spike. Fleet registrations increased by 5.4%, private registrations by 4.1%, and business registrations by a robust 24.5%.
The overall expansion was entirely driven by plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs), with registrations up 30.1% and 32.7%, respectively. BEVs achieved a 32.0% market share — their highest level this year — as manufacturers intensified efforts to hit annual sales targets. In contrast, conventional hybrids (HEVs) declined by 5.0% for the second consecutive month. Altogether, electrified vehicles represented 59.0% of all new registrations.