Volkswagen has held onto its crown as the UK’s top car brand for 2024, selling over 166,000 cars – a massive 41,000 more than its nearest competitor, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The Golf, VW’s iconic hatchback, was the brand’s biggest star. Marking its 50th anniversary last year, it found 32,370 new owners and secured its place as the UK’s sixth best-selling car of 2024. Meanwhile, the smaller VW Polo proved to be another hit, coming in tenth overall with 28,981 sales.
Volkswagen wasn’t the only winner in 2024. Jeep saw its sales nearly triple thanks to the Jeep Avenger – a compact SUV available in petrol, hybrid, and fully electric versions. Renault also had a stellar year, with sales jumping by 36%, while Volvo posted a 32% increase.
In the premium market, BMW dominated with 125,265 cars sold, a 12% rise from 2023. Impressively, over a quarter of BMW’s sales were electric vehicles, helping the brand secure the UK’s second spot overall. Audi followed closely in third place, despite an 11% sales dip, moving 122,431 cars.
Not every carmaker had a winning year. DS Automobiles struggled, selling just 1,152 cars – a massive 52% drop from 2023. Maserati and Fiat also saw sales slide by 47% and 14%, respectively, while Vauxhall experienced a 21% decline. In an unexpected twist, MG outsold Vauxhall in the UK for the first time.
Ford, traditionally a strong player in the UK market, had a mixed year. While the Ford Puma remained the country’s best-selling car, overall sales for Ford dropped nearly 24%. In fact, the brand sold more vans than passenger cars in 2024.
One of the biggest shocks from the SMMT data was Polestar’s 30% decline in sales, despite launching the much-hyped Polestar 3 SUV and Polestar 4 coupe, alongside upgrades to the Polestar 2. This drop came even as EVs grew more popular, making up 19.6% of all UK car sales in 2024.
Electric vehicles may be gaining momentum, but the year’s results highlight how competitive – and unpredictable – the UK car market can be.
