Demand still strong for new cars – Auto Trader
Auto Trader has reported strong consumer demand for new cars during April, with visits to its platform increasing by 11% year-on-year.
It found the average new car discount across all fuel types has edged lower from 9.3% in March to 8.6% in April so far.
For electric, the reduction was slightly higher, decreasing from 11.7% in March to 10.3%. This trend could continue over the coming weeks following the government’s recent changes to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.
When analysing the data across all fuel types, the Volkswagen Golf is the UK’s most in-demand new car with a 4.1% share of all new car enquiries in April to date. As well as topping the pure EV charts, MG’s ZS is currently the second most in-demand overall new car, with a 2.6% share of total enquiries on Auto Trader.
Chinese brands
Meanwhile, Chinese brand Jaecoo 7 received a 1.8% share of enquiries while BYD placed ninth with its Seal U.
Bex Kennett, new car performance director at Auto Trader said: “Although softening slightly on March’s strong plate change period, consumer interest for new cars remains robust. Along with the relaxation in ZEV targets, this should come as welcome news for manufacturers facing uncertainty around the introduction of new tariffs.
“Highlighting the speed in which the market is moving, we’ve seen a strong performance from new brands this month. We’ll be watching these marques closely over the coming months and their efforts to gain even more share of the increasingly competitive retail landscape.”
