The UK's top 10 best-selling cars of 2026 so far have been revealed, and two models may be unfamiliar to many drivers. The Ford Puma leads the pack as the most popular car of the year, recording the highest number of new car registrations to date.
Ford Puma Takes the Lead
The Ford Puma has secured the top spot with 20,339 sales, narrowly beating the Kia Sportage, which registered 17,835 units—just over 2,000 fewer. The third, fourth, and fifth positions are occupied by Jaecoo, Nissan, and Vauxhall models, respectively.
Surprising Contenders
At sixth place is the popular Volkswagen Golf, followed by Volvo at seventh. The MG HS, which may not be a household name alongside Jaecoo, takes eighth. Mini Coopers and another Volkswagen model round out the ninth and tenth positions.
Market Growth in April
The UK new car market expanded by 24% last month, with registrations rising to 149,247 units, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This growth largely reflects a recovery from an exceptionally subdued April last year, when many buyers brought purchases forward to March to avoid forthcoming vehicle tax changes, including the introduction of VED and the Expensive Car Supplement for battery electric vehicles.
While April is typically a lower-volume month, which can exaggerate year-on-year comparisons, this represented the strongest April performance since 2019, when registrations reached 161,064.
Fuel Type Trends
The SMMT also reported that demand for petrol cars rose 8.2%, while diesel registrations fell by 1%. Electrified cars accounted for 53.2% of the market for the second month in 2026. Plug-in hybrid registrations increased by 46.4%, capturing a 13.8% market share, and hybrid electric vehicles rose 18.8%, representing 13.2% of all new registrations.
Top-Selling UK Cars So Far in 2026
- Ford Puma – 20,339 sales
- Kia Sportage – 17,835 sales
- Jaecoo 7 – 17,688 sales
- Nissan Qashqai – 15,699 sales
- Vauxhall Corsa – 12,788 sales
- Volkswagen Golf – 12,021 sales
- Volvo XC40 – 11,360 sales
- MG HS – 11,293 sales
- Mini Cooper – 10,686 sales
- Volkswagen Tiguan – 10,252 sales
