2026 (Q1): The Ford Puma, Jaecoo 7, and Kia Sportage were the top-selling car models in Britain during the first three months of the year.
The Ford Puma only just managed to maintain its position as Britain’s favorite passenger car model. The Jaecoo 7 is a new entrant on the top ten list of the best-selling car models in Britain in 2026 (Q1). Most of the ten most popular cars in the UK at the start of 2026 were SUV crossover models.
Latest British Car Sales Data: 2026 (Q1): Brands, Models; 2025: Market Overview, Brands, Models, Electric, Car Parc; 2024-2008.
Top 10 Best-Selling Car Models in Britain in 2026 (Q1)
The top-selling car models in the United Kingdom during the first quarter of 2026, according to the SMMT were:
| R | BRAND & Model | Sales 2026 (Q1) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD Puma | 16,128 |
| 2 | JAECOO 7 | 15,569 |
| 3 | KIA Sportage | 14,190 |
| 4 | NISSAN Qashqai | 12,853 |
| 5 | VAUXHALL Corsa | 10,552 |
| 6 | VOLVO XC40 | 9,288 |
| 7 | VOLKSWAGEN Golf | 9,176 |
| 8 | MG HS | 9,147 |
| 9 | NISSAN Juke | 8,512 |
| 10 | MINI Cooper | 8,109 |
Britain’s Favorite Cars in 2026 (Q1)
Britain’s favorite car model in the first quarter of 2026 was again the Ford Puma. However, it was a close-run thing with the Puma, the top-selling car only in February. Half of all Ford car sales in Britain thus far in 2026 were Pumas. The Puma has been Britain’s favorite car from 2023 to 2025.
The surprise second-most popular car in Britain in 2026 (Q1) was the Jaecoo 7. The Jaecoo is a relatively large SUV crossover, but from a Chinese brand that only entered the UK just over a year ago. The Jaecoo 7 was the top-selling car in March — traditionally the most important month of the year for new car registrations in Britain due to number plate changes. Jaecoo is part of the large Geely automotive concern.
The Kia Sportage was the third most popular car in the UK during the first three months of the year. It was the top-selling car in Britain in January 2026.
The fourth most popular car in Britain was the Nissan Qashqai. The top four best-selling cars in the UK were all SUV crossovers.
The Vauxhall Corsa was the fifth most popular car and the only subcompact car on the top ten list.
In the highly competitive British new car market, just over a thousand units separated the rest of the top ten cars for the first quarter of 2026. The Volvo XC, MG, HS, and Nissan Juke are all crossovers, but in quite different price classes. The VW Golf and Mini Cooper remain very popular with British car buyers.