Chinese brands were responsible for the biggest shifts in the UK new car market during the first half of 2026, with Jaecoo, BYD and Omoda recording the strongest gains in market share as established volume manufacturers came under increasing pressure.
The UK new car market has now passed the halfway point of 2026 with registrations up 9.2% year-on-year.
A total of 1,137,929 new cars have been registered during the first six months of the year, almost 96,000 more than in the same period of 2025.
Analysis of year-to-date registration data shows Jaecoo delivered the largest increase, growing its market share by 2.19 percentage points compared with the same period last year to reach 2.99%.
BYD was the second strongest performer, adding 1.46 percentage points to achieve a 3.32% market share, while Omoda increased its share by almost one percentage point to 1.65%.
The figures underline the pace at which new entrants are establishing themselves in the UK, supported by expanding dealer networks, growing model ranges and competitive pricing across both electric and hybrid vehicles.
New entrants reshape the market
Leapmotor also posted one of the fastest rates of growth, increasing its market share from just 0.05% to 0.59% in a year.
Among more established manufacturers, Mini recorded a healthy gain of 0.48 percentage points, while Citroën, Suzuki, Tesla and MG all strengthened their positions.
Citroen is in a particularly bright spot making it into the top five in terms of market share growth and holding its own among those emerging brands, alongside Stellantis’ partnership with Leapmotor, which is also bearing fruit.
Greg Taylor, managing director, Citroën UK, said: “Citroën’s upward trajectory reflects the positive response from customers to our fully refreshed line-up.
“We remain committed to making mobility accessible by offering vehicles that combine comfort, affordability and electrification. Thank you to our retailers and customers who have helped deliver a successful first half of the year. We look forward to building on this momentum during the remainder of 2026.”
| Rank | Brand | 2026 market share | 2025 market share | Change (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaecoo | 2.99% | 0.81% | +2.19 |
| 2 | BYD | 3.32% | 1.86% | +1.46 |
| 3 | Omoda | 1.65% | 0.67% | +0.98 |
| 4 | Citroën | 1.45% | 0.90% | +0.55 |
| 5 | Leapmotor | 0.59% | 0.05% | +0.54 |
| 6 | MINI | 2.59% | 2.11% | +0.48 |
| 7 | Suzuki | 1.21% | 0.91% | +0.30 |
| 8 | Tesla | 2.43% | 2.18% | +0.25 |
| 9 | MG | 4.28% | 4.09% | +0.19 |
| 10 | Alpine | 0.17% | 0.03% | +0.14 |
Traditional volume brands lose share
While new entrants enjoyed strong growth, several long-established manufacturers saw their share of the market decline.
Nissan recorded the largest fall, losing 1.12 percentage points, narrowly ahead of Volkswagen, which fell by 1.11 percentage points.
Peugeot also lost more than one percentage point of market share, while BMW, Hyundai and Ford all recorded declines of more than half a percentage point.
Toyota, Kia, Mazda and Seat also slipped backwards slightly during the first six months of the year.
The data reflects intensifying competition as manufacturers compete for customers in an increasingly fragmented market.
It also comes at a time when many brands continue to invest heavily in retail incentives to stimulate electric vehicle sales and meet increasingly demanding Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets.
| Rank | Brand | 2026 market share | 2025 market share | Change (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nissan | 3.60% | 4.72% | -1.12 |
| 2 | Volkswagen | 7.92% | 9.03% | -1.11 |
| 3 | Peugeot | 3.66% | 4.67% | -1.01 |
| 4 | BMW | 5.53% | 6.30% | -0.78 |
| 5 | Hyundai | 3.99% | 4.68% | -0.69 |
| 6 | Ford | 5.11% | 5.80% | -0.68 |
| 7 | Mazda | 1.31% | 1.80% | -0.50 |
| 8 | Toyota | 4.01% | 4.45% | -0.44 |
| 9 | Kia | 5.52% | 5.95% | -0.43 |
| 10 | Seat | 0.77% | 1.18% | -0.41 |