Jaecoo and BYD lead shift in UK car market

The latest new car registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) continue to highlight the march of progress from new brand entrants in the UK.

While established manufacturers continue to account for the vast majority of registrations, new entrants such as Jaecoo, BYD, Omoda and Chery are steadily building market presence and taking a growing share of the UK’s new car market.

Their growth comes as overall registrations rose 8.7% during the first five months of 2026, helping to create a more diverse and competitive marketplace.

The influx of new brands is giving consumers a wider choice of vehicles, particularly in the SUV and electric vehicle sectors, while also reshaping the distribution of market share among volume manufacturers.

Jaecoo is stand out performer

Jaecoo has been the standout performer, increasing its market share from 0.7% to 3.0% and adding more than 22,000 registrations year-on-year.

BYD has also strengthened its position, growing its share from 1.7% to 3.4% and surpassing 31,500 registrations during the period. Chery, which was absent from the market a year ago, has already captured 1.5% share, while Omoda has more than doubled its presence to 1.6%.

Citroen delivered one of the strongest performances among established manufacturers, more than doubling registrations and increasing its market share from 0.8% to 1.5%.

Mini, Suzuki and Cupra also outperformed the wider market, with all three increasing their share and reinforcing their position among UK buyers.

The rise of these brands has inevitably diluted market share among some longer-established manufacturers. However, many continue to deliver substantial registration volumes and remain central to the UK market.

Volkswagen remains the UK’s largest brand year-to-date with almost 74,000 registrations, despite its market share easing from 9.1% to 8.0%.

Kia, BMW, Ford, Toyota and Nissan all remain among the market’s biggest players, collectively accounting for more than 220,000 registrations during the first five months of the year.

Nissan and VW under pressure YTD

Nissan and Volkswagen recorded the largest share reductions, each down 1.1 percentage points year-on-year, while Peugeot, Ford and BMW also saw their share of registrations soften.

In many cases, however, the declines reflect the speed at which newer entrants are growing rather than a significant collapse in demand.

Kia, for example, increased registrations by 1% but still saw its market share edge lower because overall market growth was stronger.