A large percentage of owners of classic cars also possess a family saloon or hatchback for everyday use such as commuting to work or popping to the local supermarket. If this is the case then you may be interested to read that the number of new car sales in the UK rose in January 2026 when compared with the same month in 2025.

According to data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the number of new cars registered here in the UK in January 2026 amounted to 144,127. In the same month last year the figure was 139,345. So, this was a rise of 3.4%.

Of the new cars sold last month, 52,397 were for the private sector, 88,269 for the fleet market and 3,461 for the business sector. That equated to a market share of 36.4%, 61.2% and 2.4% respectively.

Battery electric new car sales in January 2026 amounted to 29,654 vehicles with this equating to a market share of 20.6% market share.

The number of petrol fuelled new cars sold in January 2026 totalled 68,757 compared to 70,075 in January 2025 – a drop of 1.9%. The number of diesel fuelled cars sold in the UK in January 2026 amounted to 7,862 compared to 8,625 in January 2025 – a fall of 8.8%. Market shares were 47.7% and 5.5% respectively.

The top 5 selling new cars in January 2026 were: –

1. KIA Sportage 4,675
2. Jaecoo 7 4,059
3. Ford Puma 3,715
4. Nissan Qahqai 2,995
5. Vauxhall Corsa 2,902

It is to be hoped that the sale of new cars here in the UK continues to increase throughout the remainder of 2026 and beyond. The motor trade industry employs an awful lot of people here in the UK and no doubt quite a few new cars are manufactured for export to European countries and other countries in the world.

We will continue to keep our readers updated at times throughout the year.

Whilst writing, if you are looking for a classic car insurance quote, why not get in contact with us to obtain a competitive, no-obligation quotation as we provide access to an extensive panel of reputable insurance companies. We look forward to hearing from you.