Consumer interest in new car market remains steady in April

Consumer demand for new cars in the UK remains strong into April, despite a slight dip in discounting following March’s plate change period, according to the latest figures from Auto Trader.

The digital automotive marketplace reported an 11% year-on-year increase in visits to its new car platform this month, indicating sustained buyer interest even as manufacturers scaled back some of the aggressive incentives seen in March.

The average new car discount across all fuel types slipped to 8.6% off the recommended retail price (RRP), down from 9.3% last month. The drop was more pronounced for electric vehicles (EVs), with discounts falling from 11.7% in March to 10.3% in April. This reduction aligns with the UK government’s recent adjustments to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which grant automakers greater flexibility in meeting EV sales targets in the near term.

Retailers have responded to continued interest by ramping up advertising of new car stock, with listings on Auto Trader up 10% year-on-year for April.

Consumer preferences and brand momentum

The Volkswagen Golf maintained its status as the UK’s most sought-after new car, accounting for 4.1% of all new car enquiries. MG’s ZS, a compact SUV, held second place overall and remained the most in-demand electric vehicle, capturing nearly 8% of all EV enquiries. Land Rover’s Range Rover came in third with a 2.5% share of leads.

Chinese manufacturers are also making noticeable inroads into the UK market. Jaecoo’s recently launched Jaecoo 7 climbed to seventh place in terms of demand, accounting for 1.8% of all new car enquiries, while BYD’s Seal U, a family-sized SUV, tied for ninth with 1.6%, on par with the new Cupra Terramar.

Among brands, BMW took the top spot in April with a 14.6% share of all enquiries, overtaking both Land Rover and Volkswagen, which ranked second (10.2%) and third (9.2%) respectively.

Rising stars in the EV segment

While MG continued to lead the electric brand charts with a 15.5% share of EV enquiries, its lead has narrowed, with BMW now holding 11.7% and Skoda climbing into third with 7.1%.

Skoda’s Elroq has emerged as a rising star, jumping to second place in EV model popularity with a 6.4% share—up 2.1 percentage points from March. BMW’s i4 followed closely at 6.2%, showing the strongest monthly growth among electric models with a three-point increase.

New tools to boost retail performance

Auto Trader has also launched a new feature called New Car Offers, aimed at enhancing consumer engagement by allowing retailers to display finance deals directly on vehicle listings. While the functionality is already available to retailers, consumers will begin seeing and interacting with the offers later this month.

Bex Kennett, Performance Director at Auto Trader, noted: “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.”

She added, “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.”