The compact Ford Puma crossover has officially been crowned the UK’s best-selling new car 2023, with over 6,000 more showroom sales than any other model last year.
According to new data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) the overall new car market grew by 10% in December compared to the same month last year. However, this was driven by strong increases in the fleet sector, which was up by 33%. By comparison, private registrations fell by a disappointing 14% year-on-year, which is a rather sombre note to end the year on.
Following the final farewell of the popular Fiesta hatchback last Summer, Ford will be very pleased that its newer Puma crossover has followed in the Fiesta’s footsteps by securing a British best-seller accolade. Two former annual sales race winners round out the top three, with the Nissan Qashqai and Vauxhall Corsa finishing in second and third respectively.
While it did finally seal its best-seller status by a significant margin last month, the Puma only recorded rather modest sales returns in December, finishing fifth in the monthly ranking. December’s best performer has instead the Tesla Model Y, which is currently the best-selling electric car worldwide.
As a result, the Model Y took fifth place in the annual leaderboard from the absent Hyundai Tucson, and the Audi A3 also snatched ninth place from the Vauxhall Mokka in the final month.
Read our monthly sales report: Consumer new car sales crash in December
Top ten best-sellers chart, December 2023
| Rank | Brand | Registrations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model Y | 4,816 |
| 2 | Nissan Qashqai | 4,253 |
| 3 | Mini hatch | 3,608 |
| 4 | MG HS | 3,362 |
| 5 | Ford Puma | 3,157 |
| 6 | Vauxhall Corsa | 2,990 |
| 7 | Volkswagen Golf | 2,555 |
| 8 | Nissan Juke | 2,473 |
| 9 | Volkswagen Polo | 2,415 |
| 10 | Ford Kuga | 2,353 |
Top ten best-sellers chart, final 2023 standings
| Rank | Brand | Registrations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford Puma | 49,591 |
| 2 | Nissan Qashqai | 43,321 |
| 3 | Vauxhall Corsa | 40,816 |
| 4 | Kia Sportage | 36,135 |
| 5 | Tesla Model Y | 35,899 |
| 6 | Hyundai Tucson | 34,469 |
| 7 | Mini hatch | 33,385 |
| 8 | Nissan Juke | 31,745 |
| 9 | Audi A3 | 30,159 |
| 10 | Vauxhall Mokka | 29,984 |
Britain’s best-selling cars of 2023
1. Ford Puma
The Ford Puma has been consistently popular with British buyers this year. It outsold cars of all shapes and sizes and has now been crowned Britain’s best-selling new car 2023. Currently Ford’s most popular offering by a country mile, the Puma has become the model to beat, and looks poised to be a strong contender in the 2024 best-seller’s race.
The Puma has received plenty of praise from the UK motoring media, and currently holds an Expert Rating of 76% on our unique Expert Rating Index. That puts it top of the charts for supermini-based SUVs.
2. Nissan Qashqai
The Nissan Qashqai started 2023 in a sales battle at the very top of the standings, but had fallen to fourth by August. A registration resurgency in September saw it retake second place, and second place is now secured as the Vauxhall Corsa couldn’t close the distance. The SUV is the current jewel in the crown of the British car manufacturing industry – designed in London, developed in the Midlands and built in Sunderland.
On sale since Autumn 2021, the Qashqai holds an Expert Rating of 69%, which is reasonable for a medium SUV but nothing to really shout about.
3. Vauxhall Corsa
The Vauxhall Corsa supermini recorded fairly consistent sales numbers throughout 2023, and while second place remained out of reach, a top three finish was never really in doubt. A former British best-seller in 2021, the Corsa remains the UK’s most popular supermini choice.
Despite its consistent sales success, the Corsa has received average reviews from the motoring media, with an Expert Rating of 62% for both fossil-fuel versions and the Corsa Electric model.
4. Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage really picked up sales pace in the second half of 2023, with five straight months of commendable sales numbers seeing off challenges from the Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Tucson in the middle of the pack. The SUV holds on to fourth after December.
The new Kia Sportage currently holds an Expert Rating of 72% on our award-winning Expert Rating Index, which is a substantial improvement on the previous model.
5. Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y’s appearances in the monthly top ten have been pretty sporadic throughout 2023. The electric SUV is usually absent from the top ten for several months at a time, before cropping up the month after with exceptional sales figures. Its December success sees the car jump up to fifth.
The Model Y currently holds an Expert Rating of 77%, which is a commendable score, but doesn’t place it at the top of its class.
6. Hyundai Tucson
The current Hyundai Tucson has been a sales success since it was launched in 2021. The SUV has sat in the middle of the best-sellers pack throughout 2023, but was missing from the top ten in both November and December. As a consequence, the absent Tucson loses out to the resurgent Tesla Model Y in the final month, and falls one place to sixth.
The Tucson has received positive reviews from the motoring media, with a solid Expert Rating of 75% on our industry-leading Expert Rating Index.
7. Mini hatch
On sale since 2014, the Mini hatch has been one of the most consistent best-sellers in British motoring history. After dropping out of the monthly top ten for three consecutive months, the hatch surprised once again by finishing an impressive second in the October sales leaderboard. An impressive third place finish in December sees the hatch secure seventh place in the annual ranking.
The Mini hatch currently holds an Expert Rating of 71%. The all-electric version – the Mini Electric – is not as popular with reviewers, and holds an Expert Rating of 61%.
8. Nissan Juke
On sale since 2019, the UK-built Nissan Juke has established itself as a popular choice of British motorists since the turn of the year, as a cheaper and more compact alternative to its larger Qashqai sibling. Directly competing with the Qashqai sales figures in months prior, the Juke fell to eighth in the annual chart, after losing out to the Mini hatch in November.
The Juke currently holds an Expert Rating of 62%, and finds itself positioned squarely in the middle of a crowded compact SUV class.
9. Audi A3
Hot on the heels of the Vauxhall Mokka for many months, the Audi A3 finally made its move in December – snatching ninth by a narrow margin as the race approached the finish line. This Audi has appeared several times in the monthly charts throughout the year, and a late surge in sales saw the A3 break into the top ten in the last few months of 2023.
The Audi A3 currently holds an Expert Rating of 70%, with good scores from most UK media sources.
10. Vauxhall Mokka
Rising to the giddy heights of eighth place before eventually falling back down to tenth, the Vauxhall Mokka has established itself as a consistent name at the foot of the top ten. While the SUV’s final 2023 sales total is commendable, its smaller Corsa sibling is still much more popular, with over 10,000 more new registrations last year.
The Mokka has received average reviews from the motoring media, with an Expert Rating of 67% for petrol-powered versions and 70% for the Mokka Electric.
Well, that brings an end to our coverage of the UK’s best-selling new car rankings for 2023. But, the car industry doesn’t rest, and we will be publishing January’s registration results in the first week of February as the 2024 best-seller’s race begins.
Will the Ford Puma and Nissan Qashqai remain table-topping sales contenders? Will the new 2024 EV mandate – which requires 22% of a manufacturer’s new cars sold to be all-electric in 2024 – cause a surge in EV entrants in the top ten? Check back soon!
