Top 10 Most Popular Cars, Colours, and Fuels in the UK
The latest SMMT Motorparc data has just landed – and it paints a fascinating picture of what’s going on out on the roads of Blighty. Spoiler alert: we’re not all silently gliding around in futuristic electric cars just yet. In fact, Britain remains firmly attached to its old bangers, diesel vans, and distinctly dreary colour palette. So let’s pop the bonnet on the real state of UK motoring in 2024 and see what the numbers tell us…
Over 42 Million Vehicles on UK Roads!
Yes, you read that right. A whopping 42 million vehicles are now roving around our country’s roads – that’s nearly two-thirds of the population. Of these, over 36 million are cars, with the remainder made up of vans, trucks, buses and the occasional glorified milk float.
Despite all the talk of car bans, congestion charges and rising costs, we’re still buying, using and keeping cars in record numbers. In 2024, we registered 1.95 million new cars, and total car ownership rose for the third year in a row.
We Love Our Old Motors
The average car on UK roads is now 9.5 years old. That means nearly half of us are still running motors that pre-date Brexit, TikTok, and from a time when Barack Obama was still President of the USA.
And those are still the young ones! 31.7% of all cars are over 12 years old, and 43.4% are more than a decade old. Basically, we’re a nation of second-hand heroes, clutching our keys to cars that ran out their warranties long ago.
Why? Simple: new cars are too expensive, and the tech-packed dashboards of modern vehicles are a bit too much for many drivers – a majority chunk of which in the UK are in their 40s and 50s. Not to mention the fact that older cars are just more familiar – and let’s be honest, still perfectly functional.
Petrol Still Dominates, Diesel Hangs On, EVs Trickling In
If you thought 2024 would be the year the electric car took over – think again. There are now 1.33 million EVs on the road – up nearly 39% year on year – but they still make up just 3.7% of cars in use. That’s around 1 in 27.
Petrol cars still make up 58.2%, and diesel – though in decline – clings on with 32.1%. When it comes to vans, it’s swings completely the other way with diesel will dominant: 95.3% of vans are still diesel-powered, while electric vans barely make up 1.6%.
Clearly, the infrastructure and cost gaps are holding back the electric revolution, especially outside the big cities.
Most Popular Cars? Still the Classics
Ford might be winding down production of the Fiesta and Focus, but they’re still the kings of the road. The Ford Fiestaremains Britain’s most common car, followed by the Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, and VW Polo.
Small hatchbacks still dominate, showing we Brits like our cars compact, affordable, and easy to park – even if we do park them badly!
On the van side, Ford rules again. The Transit Custom, Transit, and Transit Connect are all in the top 10. Builders, delivery drivers and mobile dog groomers of the UK salute you.
What Segment Rules the Road?
Superminis and Lower Medium cars (basically your Corsas and Golfs) make up a huge 59.2% of all cars in use. SUVs, or “dual-purpose” vehicles as the SMMT insists on calling them, are rapidly rising too – now at 6.17 million.
Luxury saloons and executive cars remain rare, but clearly still aspirational. Minis (as a segment, not just the brand) account for just 850,000 cars on the road.
Brits Drive in Greyscale
Here’s something that genuinely makes me weep: our car colour choices – so dull and uninspiring. The most popular shades in 2024 are black, grey, blue and white.
Red comes in at fifth, but you have to dig deep into the stats to find anything remotely exciting. Green? Just 660,000. Orange? 284,000. Brown (c’mon – Brown is Profound as I always say)? Only 200,000.
Where did all the fun go? We used to have pastel shades, bold hues, two-tones! Now it looks like someone set the nation’s colour filter to “meh”. Or is it just reflection of the mood of the nation?
Where Do Our Cars Come From?
Most of our cars are not British-built. Germany leads the way with over 10.6 million cars on UK roads, followed by the UK itself with 5.2 million, then Spain, France and Japan.
Expect China to make a major leap onto this list in 2025. With brands like BYD, MG, and Ora already making waves, this time next year we could be talking about a Chinese motoring surge.
Regional Rundown: Who Drives What, Where?
The South East has the most cars, with 6.1 million. London, perhaps unsurprisingly, has fewer cars overall – 2.86 million – but the highest percentage of EVs at 5.1%.
Compare that to Northern Ireland, where just 0.6% of cars are electric. That says a lot about infrastructure, income disparity and lifestyle needs.
City dwellers tend to drive less, benefit from work EV schemes, and can charge at home. Rural Brits? They need range, durability and practicality – and EVs just aren’t there yet for them.
What Does This Mean for You?
Looking forward, here’s my take:
- EV adoption will grow, but it’ll remain slow outside urban zones unless infrastructure improves dramatically.
- Battery tech will get better (solid-state anyone?), bringing longer range and faster charging.
- Used EV prices fall fast, making electrics more accessible for everyday buyers.
- Biofuels and hybrids will become a bigger part of the conversation, especially as the 2030 petrol/diesel ban gets closer (and likely wobblier).
The key takeaway? Buy what suits your lifestyle. If that’s an EV, great. If it’s a diesel van because you’re a builder in Bognor, also fine. Just don’t let hype or hysteria drive your decision.
Tell Me About Your Car!
How old is your car? What fuel does it use? And dare I ask… what colour is it?
Drop it in the comments or come shout at me on socials. And don’t forget to like, share and subscribe for more car culture content, motoring insights and good old-fashioned opinion.
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