In his latest in-depth analysis of the UK's car registrations landscape for AM Magazine, David Francis finds the global supply woes and cost-of-living crisis might be favouring affordable car brands.
The car retail sector’s vehicle supply issues look set to be compounded by a cost-of-motoring crisis and growing moves to discourage car usage across the UK.
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) data has shown that light commercial vehicles registrations fell to their lowest level in a decade during October.
Almost 40% of Gen Z car buyers would prefer to transact online, according to new research.
The ongoing cost of living crisis continues to dampen consumer appetite for new cars as data from iTrackLeads shows dealer enquiries fell by 18% year-on-year in October.
Another near doubling of new car registrations from Ford was led by the doomed Fiesta hatchback during October, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) data shows.
The UK automotive sector remains on course to deliver its lowest new car registrations total since 1982, despite a 26.4% growth in October, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has said.
The average retail price of used cars advertised for sale via Auto Trader rose for a fourth consecutive month during October – rising £178 on September and a £548 on August to reach £17,587.
The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) has warned that the Bank of England’s decision to raise the UK interest rate to 3% will make funding car purchases “harder for consumers”.
Pawnbrokers are the only lending provider deemed worse than motor finance at assessing customer vulnerability as UK households feel the impact of its cost-of-living crisis, an FCA report suggests.
Finance debt for new and used cars has risen to £40 billion per year, prompting concerns that consumers may default on agreements amid soaring living costs.
Used car values rose by an average of 2% on eBay Motors Group’s online marketplace as the market’s balance of consumer demand and limited supply continued to defy the UK’s economic gloom.
UK new car registrations predictions for 2023 have been downgraded by between 7% and 15% as Coz Automotive predicts faltering vehicle supplies may not recover until Q3 next year.
ICDP has questioned whether car manufacturers will retain a desire to switch from a franchise to an agency retail model if consumer demand and inflation “head on opposite directions” in 2023.
Doing the basics well and driving efficiencies will prepare dealers for the eventual comeback of usual car market volumes, according to Cox Automotive insight and strategy director Philip Nothard.
Less than a third of new cars currently on sale are available with manual gearboxes, an investigation by Carwow has found.
The automotive retail sector’s used car shortages “will stick with us” for some time to come but it is not altogether bad news, Auto Trader commercial director Ian Plummer has told the AM News Show.
BCA has said that used vehicle process will “remain very robust for some time to come” after wholesale used car values rose 2.9% to £9,197 in September.
Consumers are shying away from expensive used electric vehicles (EV) amid escalating cost-of-living pressures, according to used car stock management and marketing specialist Indicata.
Cox Automotive customer insight and strategy director Philip Nothard has warned used car retailers to “remain cautious” as the sector heads into an in certain period of winter trading.
