August car market holds steady as September plate change approaches

The UK new car market remained stable in August, with sales down just -1.3% compared to last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

In what is a typically slow month ahead of the September plate change, 84,575 cars were registered, a slight decrease of 1,082 units year-on-year.

> New car registration data

Fleet purchases remained the primary driver, making up 60% of sales, with 51,329 units registered despite a -1.2% decline from last year.

Private buyer registrations were flat, increasing by just 0.2% to 32,110 units, while business registrations dropped significantly by -30.3%, totaling 1,136 units.