New car interest accelerated in February ahead of the March 26 plate change, with visits to Autotrader’s new car platform up 28% month on month and 3% year-on-year.
The uplift comes as retailers increase discounting and stock visibility in anticipation of heightened consumer demand.
In the electric segment, the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric led new EV enquiries in February with a 5.5% share, narrowly ahead of the Tesla Model Y on 5.4%. The Skoda Elroq ranked third with 4.5%.
Across all fuel types, the Volkswagen Golf was the most in-demand new car, accounting for 5% of all enquiries submitted through Autotrader.
Land Rover placed two models in the top three, with the Range Rover Sport at 3.6% and the Defender 110 at 3.5%. The Jaecoo 7, last month’s hottest model, slipped to fourth with 3.4%.
Most in-demand new car electric models on Autotrader in February 2026 ranked by enquiries/leads
| Rank | Make | Model | Share of enquiries |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Renault | 5 E-Tech Electric | 5.50% |
| 2 | Tesla | Model Y | 5.40% |
| 3 | Skoda | Elroq | 4.50% |
| 4 | MG | MGS5 | 4.30% |
| 5 | Jaecoo | 5 | 3.20% |
| 6 | MG | MGS6 | 3.20% |
| 7 | Cupra | Born | 2.70% |
| 8 | Alpine | A290 | 2.40% |
| 9 | Audi | Q4 e-tron | 2.40% |
| 10 | Leapmotor | B10 | 1.90% |
At brand level, Land Rover topped overall new car enquiries with a 14.6% share, ahead of Volkswagen on 9.6% and BMW on 8.7%.
Chinese brands continued to gain traction, with Jaecoo, BYD and Chery all featuring in the top ten. Chery appeared in the new car ranking for the first time.
In the electric brand rankings, MG retained top spot with 12.5% of EV enquiries, ahead of Renault at 6.9% and Tesla at 5.9%. Kia and BYD completed the top five, separated by a fraction of a percentage point.
Most in-demand new car brands on Autotrader in February 2026 ranked by enquiries/leads – all fuel types
| Rank | Make | Share of enquiries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Land Rover | 14.60% |
| 2 | Volkswagen | 9.60% |
| 3 | BMW | 8.70% |
| 4 | Audi | 7.20% |
| 5 | MG | 6.50% |
| 6 | JAECOO | 5.50% |
| 7 | Skoda | 3.70% |
| 8 | BYD | 3.00% |
| 9 | Renault | 2.70% |
Average new car discounts up 10% in February
Average new car discounts increased to 10% in February, up from 9% in February 2025.
For electric models, average discounts edged up from 11.4% to 11.6% as retailers positioned stock ahead of the plate change.
Supply is also rising. The volume of new cars advertised on Autotrader in February was up 15% year on year.
Bex Kennett, head of new car at the Auto Trader, said: “We’re seeing a fascinating mix of consumer enthusiasm for the incoming ’26 plates, alongside a highly competitive retail environment.
“The fact that a retro icon like the Renault 5 is going toe-to-toe with Tesla shows that consumers are craving personality and fresh design, alongside competitive pricing.
“With discounts creeping up, and the crucial plate change just days away, retailers who can offer the right mix of desirability and value will be the ones to capitalise on what we expect to be a highly active March.”