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UK February 2026: Best February in 22 years, Ford Puma smashes share record
The Ford Puma holds a record 3.6% of the UK market in February.
The UK new car market is up by a solid 7.2% year-on-year in February to 90,100 units. This is the strongest February volume in 22 years: since the 91,460 sales of February 2004. The year-to-date tally is up 4.8% to 234,227. Encouragingly, private sales surge 17.6% to 35,227 and 39.1% share vs. 35.6% in February 2025, while fleet sales only edge up 1.8% to 53,506 and 59.4% share vs. 62.5% a year ago. Business sales are down -12.7% to 1,367 and 1.5% share vs. 1.9%. Year-to-date, private sales are up 9.4% to 87,624 and 37.4% share vs. 35.8% over the first two months of 2025, fleet sales are up 1.7% to 141,777 and 60.5% share vs. 62.4% and business sales up 22.8% to 4,826 and 2.1% share vs. 1.8%.
Looking at sales by fuel type, petrol is up 5.2% to 41,935 units, diesel is off -3.8% to 4,080, HEV up 3.3% to 11,807 and PHEV up 43.5% to 10,438 and 11.6% share vs. 8.7% a year ago. BEV sales are up just 2.8% to 21,840 and 24.2% share vs. 25.3% in February 2025. This is the second straight month that BEVs lose share year-on-year. Year-to-date, petrol edges up 0.7% to 110,692, diesel is off -7.2% to 11,942, HEV up 4.2% to 31,104 and PHEV up 45.9% to 28,995 and 12.4% share vs. 8.9% over the first two months of 2025. BEVs are up just 1.2% to 51,494 and 22% share vs. 22.8% last year.
Source: SMMT
Volkswagen (-11.5%) struggles year-on-year but remains the favourite car brand in the country with 7.9% share. Ford (+36.6%) rallies back up to 2nd place with 6.7% of the market, its best performance since last August. BMW (-2.1%) for its part repeats at #3 ahead of Mercedes (+33.9%) and Audi (+17.2%), the three German premium carmakers all fitting within a hundred sales. Skoda (+17.3%) and Vauxhall (+16.1%) also impress, while further down BYD (+83%), Jaecoo (+179.7%), Citroen (+82.8%), Omoda (+147.8%) and Suzuki (+77.6%) stand out. Tesla is off -37.1%.
Over in the models charts, the Ford Puma (+119.6%) more than doubles its sales year-on-year to reclaim the top spot it has held over the past three years, both for the month and YTD. The nameplate even smashes its UK share record to 3.6%, its previous best being 3.2% hit in April 2024, November 2025 and December 2025. The Kia Sportage (+45.4%) is also in outstanding shape at #2, while last yearβs leader the Mini Cooper (-11.9%) ends the month at #3. The Tesla Model 3 (-20.4%) reappears at #4 with the Jaecoo 7 confirming its stunning success in the UK at #5, the modelβs 7th straight monthly Top 10 finish.
Previous month: UK January 2026: Jaecoo 7 up to #2
One year ago: UK February 2025: Mini Cooper best-seller
Full February 2026 Top 52 All brands and Top 10 models below.
UK February 2026 β brands:
| Pos | Brand | Feb-26 | % | /25 | Jan | 2026 | % | /25 | Pos | FY25 |
| 1 | Volkswagen | 7,104 | 7.9% | β 11.5% | 1 | 19,643 | 8.4% | β 9.0% | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | FordΒ Β | 6,056 | 6.7% | + 36.6% | 4 | 13,596 | 5.8% | + 22.8% | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | BMWΒ Β | 4,623 | 5.1% | β 2.1% | 3 | 12,722 | 5.4% | β 9.1% | 4 | 2 |
| 4 | MercedesΒ Β | 4,538 | 5.0% | + 33.9% | 7 | 11,325 | 4.8% | + 16.1% | 7 | 9 |
| 5 | AudiΒ Β | 4,522 | 5.0% | + 17.2% | 5 | 12,056 | 5.1% | + 17.1% | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | VauxhallΒ Β | 4,515 | 5.0% | + 16.1% | 6 | 11,733 | 5.0% | + 6.9% | 6 | 13 |
| 7 | Kia | 4,497 | 5.0% | + 5.6% | 2 | 14,480 | 6.2% | β 3.9% | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | Skoda | 4,343 | 4.8% | + 17.3% | 9 | 10,292 | 4.4% | + 14.8% | 8 | 11 |
| 9 | PeugeotΒ Β | 3,751 | 4.2% | β 12.0% | 8 | 10,099 | 4.3% | β 18.3% | 9 | 12 |
| 10 | Hyundai | 3,742 | 4.2% | β 9.0% | 11 | 9,554 | 4.1% | β 8.5% | 10 | 6 |
| 11 | Toyota | 3,216 | 3.6% | + 8.4% | 13 | 8,303 | 3.5% | + 8.8% | 12 | 7 |
| 12 | MG | 3,079 | 3.4% | β 7.4% | 14 | 8,158 | 3.5% | β 6.9% | 13 | 10 |
| 13 | Mini | 3,046 | 3.4% | β 23.4% | 19 | 6,029 | 2.6% | β 13.4% | 19 | 18 |
| 14 | Renault | 2,966 | 3.3% | + 16.8% | 16 | 7,403 | 3.2% | + 11.8% | 15 | 15 |
| 15 | Volvo | 2,962 | 3.3% | + 5.7% | 18 | 6,713 | 2.9% | β 5.0% | 17 | 14 |
| 16 | NissanΒ Β | 2,647 | 2.9% | β 33.0% | 10 | 8,589 | 3.7% | β 22.5% | 11 | 8 |
| 17 | Land Rover | 2,427 | 2.7% | + 29.2% | 12 | 7,726 | 3.3% | + 10.9% | 14 | 16 |
| 18 | Tesla | 2,422 | 2.7% | β 37.1% | 33 | 3,140 | 1.3% | β 40.9% | 25 | 19 |
| 19 | BYD | 2,154 | 2.4% | + 83.0% | 17 | 6,175 | 2.6% | + 121.2% | 18 | 17 |
| 20 | Jaecoo | 2,028 | 2.3% | + 179.7% | 15 | 6,878 | 2.9% | + 374.7% | 16 | 23 |
| 21 | Cupra | 1,858 | 2.1% | + 15.6% | 20 | 4,581 | 2.0% | + 19.0% | 20 | 20 |
| 22 | Mazda | 1,675 | 1.9% | + 25.1% | 22 | 4,133 | 1.8% | + 0.6% | 21 | 21 |
| 23 | Citroen | 1,614 | 1.8% | + 82.8% | 21 | 4,094 | 1.7% | + 91.4% | 22 | 26 |
| 24 | Chery | 1,406 | 1.6% | new | 23 | 3,533 | 1.5% | new | 23 | 34 |
| 25 | Omoda | 1,286 | 1.4% | + 147.8% | 25 | 3,132 | 1.3% | + 181.7% | 26 | 27 |
| 26 | Suzuki | 1,245 | 1.4% | + 77.6% | 26 | 2,930 | 1.3% | + 15.4% | 27 | 29 |
| 27 | Dacia | 1,228 | 1.4% | + 25.2% | 24 | 3,156 | 1.3% | β 4.1% | 24 | 22 |
| 28 | Honda | 874 | 1.0% | β 38.8% | 31 | 1,756 | 0.7% | β 42.4% | 29 | 24 |
| 29 | Polestar | 675 | 0.7% | + 31.1% | 29 | 1,745 | 0.7% | + 38.4% | 30 | 30 |
| 30 | Seat | 661 | 0.7% | β 33.0% | 27 | 1,960 | 0.8% | β 32.8% | 28 | 25 |
| 31 | Porsche | 499 | 0.6% | β 17.2% | 28 | 1,715 | 0.7% | β 4.4% | 31 | 28 |
| 32 | Lexus | 460 | 0.5% | β 23.1% | 30 | 1,390 | 0.6% | β 16.3% | 32 | 31 |
| 33 | Leapmotor | 439 | 0.5% | new | 32 | 1,205 | 0.5% | new | 33 | 35 |
| 34 | Jeep | 375 | 0.4% | β 32.7% | 34 | 975 | 0.4% | β 35.7% | 34 | 32 |
| 35 | Geely | 204 | 0.2% | new | 42 | 290 | 0.1% | new | 37 | 47 |
| 36 | Fiat | 188 | 0.2% | β 69.0% | 35 | 445 | 0.2% | β 78.1% | 35 | 33 |
| 37 | Subaru | 113 | 0.1% | + 32.9% | 39 | 280 | 0.1% | + 41.4% | 38 | 37 |
| 38 | Alfa Romeo | 99 | 0.1% | + 76.8% | 36 | 310 | 0.1% | + 148.0% | 36 | 36 |
| 39 | KGM | 86 | 0.1% | + 177.4% | 38 | 254 | 0.1% | + 74.0% | 39 | 41 |
| 40 | Alpine | 68 | 0.1% | + 1033.3% | 37 | 238 | 0.1% | + 1387.5% | 40 | 39 |
| 41 | Changan | 60 | 0.1% | new | 40 | 213 | 0.1% | new | 41 | 49 |
| 42 | Smart | 53 | 0.1% | + 23.3% | 43 | 132 | 0.1% | + 29.4% | 43 | 38 |
| 43 | Genesis | 51 | 0.1% | β 55.3% | 41 | 147 | 0.1% | β 28.3% | 42 | 42 |
| 44 | Lotus | 35 | 0.0% | β 66.0% | 44 | 78 | 0.0% | β 80.2% | 44 | n/a |
| 45 | Abarth | 26 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 47 | 48 | 0.0% | + 6.7% | 45 | 50 |
| 46 | Xpeng | 22 | 0.0% | new | Β β | 22 | 0.0% | new | 49 | 45 |
| 47 | Maserati | 13 | 0.0% | + 18.2% | 45 | 43 | 0.0% | + 16.2% | 46 | 48 |
| 48 | Ineos | 13 | 0.0% | + 225.0% | 46 | 39 | 0.0% | + 160.0% | 47 | 51 |
| 49 | GWM Ora | 7 | 0.0% | + 40.0% | 49 | 15 | 0.0% | β 73.7% | 50 | 46 |
| 50 | DS | 5 | 0.0% | β 77.3% | 48 | 24 | 0.0% | β 80.5% | 48 | 43 |
| 51 | Skywell | 4 | 0.0% | n/a | 51 | 10 | 0.0% | + 900.0% | 51 | 54 |
| 52 | Jaguar | 1 | 0.0% | β 99.5% | 50 | 7 | 0.0% | β 99.3% | 52 | 40 |
| Β β | Other British | 104 | 0.1% | β 39.9% | Β β | 383 | 0.2% | β 36.4% | Β β | Β β |
| Β β | Other Imports | 15 | 0.0% | β 63.4% | Β β | 139 | 0.1% | β 17.3% | Β β | Β β |
UK February 2026 β models:
| Pos | Model | Feb-26 | % | /25 | Jan | 2026 | % | /25 | Pos | FY25 |
| 1 | Ford Puma | 3,220 | 3.6% | + 119.6% | 3 | 6,935 | 3.0% | + 82.6% | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Kia Sportage | 2,205 | 2.4% | + 45.4% | 1 | 6,880 | 2.9% | + 37.8% | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Mini Cooper | 1,828 | 2.0% | β 11.9% | n/a | 3,593 | 1.5% | β 5.5% | 7 | 12 |
| 4 | Tesla Model 3 | 1,584 | 1.8% | β 20.4% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 20 |
| 5 | Jaecoo 7 | 1,446 | 1.6% | n/a | 2 | 5,505 | 2.4% | n/a | 3 | 13 |
| 6 | Volvo XC40 | 1,392 | 1.5% | β 6.3% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 7 |
| 7 | VW Tiguan | 1,379 | 1.5% | β 15.7% | 8 | 3,804 | 1.6% | + 3.5% | 6 | 9 |
| 8 | Vauxhall Corsa | 1,335 | 1.5% | + 7.1% | 5 | 4,237 | 1.8% | β 8.4% | 4 | 4 |
| 9 | Ford Kuga | 1,286 | 1.4% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 19 |
| 10 | Hyundai Tucson | 1,222 | 1.4% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 10 |
| n/a | VW Golf | 1,214 | 1.3% | β 28.1% | 9 | 3,286 | 1.4% | β 23.6% | 10 | 6 |
| n/a | Nissan Qashqai | 1,140 | 1.3% | β 25.3% | 4 | 4,135 | 1.8% | β 16.4% | 5 | 3 |
| n/a | Nissan Juke | 1,073 | 1.2% | β 33.9% | 7 | 3,590 | 1.5% | β 9.0% | 8 | 5 |
| n/a | BYD Seal U | 808 | 0.9% | n/a | 6 | 3,358 | 1.4% | n/a | 9 | 21 |
Source: SMMT
