The ever-popular Ford Puma holds on to top spot of the UK’s best-selling new cars of 2025 leaderboard, despite a commanding sales performance from the trailing Kia Sportage in September.
According to results published this morning by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the overall new car market saw an improvement of about 14% in the busy month of September, with around 38,000 more new cars registered in the UK last month when compared to September 2024.
In year-to-date sales, the Puma – which was the best-selling new car in both 2023 and 2024 – still holds a sales buffer of around 3,100 new models and leads the race to be crowned 2025’s most successful new car, but that sales lead is closing.
The best-selling new car in the month of September was the Kia Sportage, which could very well snatch the accolade from the Puma in the final months of the year if it can maintain its red-hot sales form. The Sportage was very close to being named 2024’s best-seller, but was resigned to second place after it failed to outsell the Puma in the final month.
September is traditionally the highest-volume sales month of the year, as buyers patiently wait for the new September numberplates, and last month was no different.
The only leaderboard movers were towards the bottom of the top ten, as the Volkswagen Tiguan fell two places to ninth, allowing the MG HS and Hyundai Tucson to move up the table. Yo-yoing in and out of the top ten several times this year, the Volvo XC40 has re-entered the top ten, relegating the Peugeot 2008.
While they remain outside the annual top ten, September was a very promising month for Chinese newcomers. The Jaecoo 7 finished in the monthly top ten for the second month running, while the BYD Seal U make its first appearance in a monthly top ten ranking.
- Read our monthly report: New car sales rise in stronger September
Top ten best-sellers chart, September 2025
| Rank | Brand | Registrations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kia Sportage | 9,455 |
| 2 | Ford Puma | 8,310 |
| 3 | Nissan Qashqai | 7,218 |
| 4 | Jaecoo 7 | 6,489 |
| 5 | Vauxhall Corsa | 5,841 |
| 6 | BYD Seal U | 5,373 |
| 7 | Hyundai Tucson | 5,348 |
| 8 | MG HS | 5,173 |
| 9 | Volkswagen Golf | 5,147 |
| 10 | Volvo XC40 | 4,942 |
Britain’s best-selling cars of 2024
1. Ford Puma
The Ford Puma rediscovered its title-winning sales form in May, and has been selling in consistently impressive numbers ever since. While the crossover missed out on top spot in both July and September, it was the most popular choice in August, and still maintains its lead at the top of the annual chart.
The Puma has received plenty of praise from the UK motoring media, and currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 72% on our unique Expert Rating Index.
2. Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage was so close to taking the UK’s best-selling car title last year, before the SUV fell at the final sales hurdle in December. The Kia had a strong start to 2025 and shown consistent sales form since, and its September sales dominance may be a sign of what’s to come as we enter the final months of 2025.
The new Kia Sportage currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 73% on our award-winning Expert Rating Index.
3. Nissan Qashqai
The Nissan Qashqai remains one of the nation’s most popular cars – a claim validated by the SUV’s top ten sales consistency. Formerly the UK’s best-selling car in 2022, the mid-sized family car was bested by the similarly-sized Kia Sportage last year.
The Qashqai is the current jewel in the crown of the British car manufacturing industry – designed in London, developed in the Midlands and built in Sunderland. It’s also the UK’s best-selling British-built car. On sale since Autumn 2021, the Qashqai holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 74%.
4. Vauxhall Corsa
Compact and affordable – the Vauxhall Corsa supermini is a British favourite. While the hatchback has now been surpassed by the Ford Puma, the Corsa is still posting strong registrations totals, but still sits behind the Nissan Qashqai in fourth, and finished fifth in the September rankings.
The Vauxhall Corsa currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 65%, while its all-electric counterpart holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 71%.
5. Nissan Juke
On sale since 2019, the UK-built Nissan Juke has established itself as a popular choice of British motorists in the last year, as a cheaper and more compact alternative to the bigger Qashqai.
While the compact crossover couldn’t quite match the sales numbers of its larger sibling throughout 2024, it remains a top ten contender, which is another impressive sales feat for Nissan.
The Juke currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 68%. That puts it squarely in the middle of a crowded compact SUV class.
6. Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen is the UK’s most popular car manufacturer by total sales numbers, but it took until last year for one of its models to firmly cement itself in the top ten places. That model is the mid-sized Golf, which sits in sixth after September. The family car has never recorded table-topping registration totals, but sold in very consistent numbers throughout 2024, earning its place in the mid-table.
The Volkswagen Golf currently holds an excellent New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 77%.
7. MG HS
Focusing on offering value-for-money models with pricing that undercuts other brands, MG is proving to be quite a popular motoring marque this year – the large HS currently being its most popular offering. The large SUV now sits in seventh in the annual charts, rising one place. The HS recorded strong sales numbers in the first half of last year’s race, but fell away as the year progressed. Will history repeat itself?
The MG HS currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 75% in our Expert Rating index.
8. Hyundai Tucson
A key rival of the Kia Sportage an Nissan Qashqai, the Hyundai Tucson has been a regular top ten performer in recent years. The SUV now sits in eighth in the annual sales charts, after spending most of the Spring outside this best-sellers list.
The Hyundai Tucson currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 74% in our Expert Rating Index.
9. Volkswagen Tiguan
Volkswagen’s answer to the popular Qashqai, the Tiguan has been yo-yoing between 8th and 10th on the annual leaderboard for the past several months. After being absent from the top ten in both May and June, the Tiguan was Volkswagen’s most popular model in both July and August. The SUV missed out on September’s top ten however, and falls two places to ninth as a result.
The Volkswagen Tiguan currently holds a commendable New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 76% in our industry-leading Expert Rating Index.
10. Volvo XC40
One of Volvo’s oldest but also cheapest models, the XC40 has sold in commendable but inconsistent numbers in the UK this year, with only a 10th place finish in September required for the compact family car to re-enter the annual top ten once again. Will the Volvo be able to hold or improve on its position, or will it fall out of the top ten once again before the year comes to a close?
The Volvo XC40 currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 66% in our Expert Rating index.
As we approach the final months of 2025, the standings have settled somewhat. We will update this page with the October registrations results that will be published in the first week of November.
