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New car registrations in the UK hit 2.54 million in 2017 – a 5.6% fall compared to 2016 – according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
A 17.1% drop in diesel sales is believed to be the main cause, along with a general lack of consumer confidence.
However, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes added: “We need to put it into context. This was still the third best year in a decade and the sixth best ever.”
Sales of alternatively fuelled vehicles, including electric and hybrid vehicles, saw a rise of 34.8% to almost 120,000, though just 13,500 were battery electric.
Top 10 best-sellers 2017
1. Ford Fiesta – 94,533 registrations
2. Volkswagen Golf – 74,605
3. Ford Focus – 69,903
4. Nissan Qashqai – 64,216
5. Vauxhall Corsa – 52,722
6. Vauxhall Astra – 49,370
7. Volkswagen Polo – 47,855
8. MINI hatch – 47,669
9. Mercedes-Benz C-Class – 45,912
10. Mercedes-Benz A-Class – 43,717
