Sales of SUVs continue to grow at the expense of traditional family cars, according to the latest data from carwow.

The independent car buying site reported big moves in customer behaviour the second quarter of 2018, with public tastes moving towards recently launched SUV models.

The Range Rover Velar (pictured) enjoyed growth of 147% year-on-year, while sales of the Volvo XC60 rose by 145% this year. The Vauxhall Crossland X was also popular, growing sales by 63% through the carwow platform.

Overall, five of the eight top-selling models on carwow this year were SUVs.

Despite the growth in popularity of these models, the Ford Fiesta remains the best-selling car in the UK, with total sales exceeding 67,000 this year, according to SMMT registration figures.

Carwow says demand for the more traditional style of the saloon car is dropping.

The heaviest declines in sales in the three months to June this year were the Renault Megane and Grand Scenic, the Mercedes C-Class and Jaguar XE and XF.

Improved supply of BMW’s M2 has helped put it back on buyer’s radars once more in the second part of the year. Meanwhile, MG has experienced a surge following a brand reboot and the launch of the ZS.

Alex Rose, director of trading at carwow, said: “Time has been unkind to models that have been on sale for many years. There are a number of cars that are experiencing what it’s like to be yesterday’s news.

“Although they remain good options, they’re simply not making it onto customer’s shortlists anymore.

“SUVs were popular - unsurprisingly - during the cold weather earlier in the year. However, even when temperatures rose this summer, there was no slowing public appetite for these cars.

“The sustained hot weather also saw a spike in sales for convertibles, such as the Abarth Spider and Mazda MX-5.”