Kia Sportage review – a popular, economical hybrid SUV
The UK’s best-selling cars 2025
The first month of 2025 is now behind us, so let’s see how car sales figures have kicked off
That’s it, we got there – the hardest month of the year is behind us and we’re officially well into 2025, and January’s car sales figures have now been released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The figures suggest 2025 could be an interesting year for the race to be the best-seller, as 2024’s best-seller, the Ford Puma, has started the year in a mere seventh place, and several other models that didn’t appear in the top 10, are in the charts this time round.
It’s actually been a slightly slower start to 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with sales down by 2.5% across the board. Petrol and Diesel cars have taken the biggest hit, with 15.3% fewer petrol cars and 7.7% fewer diesel cars sold compared to January 2024. Petrol cars only just made up the majority of market share in 2025 so far, at 50.3%, while diesel makes up just 6.2%.
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Sales of electric vehicles have grown by a significant 41.6% compared with January 2024, accounting for 21.3% of January 2025 sales. Despite this dramatic increase, none of the top 10 best-sellers so far this year are exclusively electric, with the Tesla Model Y having fallen out of the charts.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids have accounted for over a fifth of overall car sales together so far in 2025 – sales of plug-in hybrids have increased by 5.5%, while those of conventional hybrids have gone up by 2.9%.
2024 ended with eight SUVs in the top 10 best-sellers list, and that’s still the case now, though the models themselves are different. There are fewer hatchbacks and superminis in the charts as there would have been about a decade ago, but the Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Golf have started off the year with strong sales and make the top 10 for January.
If you’re thinking of going for a higher-riding car with more practicality than a conventional hatchback, our list of the best small SUVs is worth a read. Don’t understand the SUV hype? Don’t worry – you can read our lists of the best small cars and superminis or the best estate cars on sale today. We’ve also covered the best electric cars if you’re ready to switch to plug-in power.
UK sales year-to-date: 3,476
While the Nissan Qashqai has long been the default choice among buyers after a family-friendly SUV, the Kia Sportage actually outsold it in 2024 and continues into 2025 with strong sales figures. Offering much more space than the average hatchback, the Sportage’s 591-litre boot should be able to swallow even the largest of prams. The interior is loaded with tech, too, such as an easy-to-use infotainment system and USB-C sockets built into the front seats, thus preventing those in the rear from bickering over who gets to charge their device.
Unlike the Kia Niro, the Sportage isn’t available with a fully-electric powertrain, but it can still be had with either petrol, self-charging hybrid or plug-in hybrid power. While the plug-in hybrid will surely appeal to company car drivers thanks to its 43-mile range and low 8% Benefit-in-Kind tax rating, we’d recommend the smooth and reasonably powerful self-charging hybrid if you can afford it over the standard mild-hybrid petrol.
The Sportage is due for a light refresh soon, bringing some tweaked styling and newer infotainment tech. It’s already been revealed in its home market, so you can take a peek at the new model here.
UK sales year-to-date: 3,421
Built in Sunderland, the Nissan Qashqai was the best-selling car of 2022, came in second place just ahead of its mid-size SUV rivals in 2023, and placed third in 2024. It’s a consistently strong seller, then, and takes the second-place spot for the first month of 2025. The latest Qashqai is an evolution of the original which made its debut back in 2007, offering a stylish exterior and spacious interior with enough room for most families. The Qashqai gets Nissan’s latest infotainment setup which is responsive and easy to use, while mid-spec Tekna cars even get fully-digital dials.
Performance from the two 1.3-litre petrol engines can be described as ‘adequate’ – it’s Nissan’s e-Hybrid powertrain that really steals the show. This utilises a 1.5-litre petrol engine to power an electric motor, providing the same smooth driving experience as an EV. This comes as a benefit to fuel economy, too; the Qashqai e-Hybrid is claimed to return an impressive 53.3mpg on the WLTP test for combined city and motorway driving.
The Qashqai is another car that’s just undergone a styling refresh which brings a new front end inspired by traditional Japanese warrior armour that should help this popular SUV stand out a little more.
UK sales year-to-date: 3,379
The Vauxhall Corsa is back in the best-sellers list for the start of 2025 after having not featured for some time. It’s possible that price cuts to the Corsa range and great-value special edition models, particularly for the Corsa Electric, have had time to take effect and bump up sales.
The current generation of Vauxhall Corsa is the most advanced yet, with a choice of petrol, mild-hybrid and electric versions – there was even a diesel, though this has long since been discontinued. Though the current Corsa may not have a hot VXR variant, one of the stand-out features is how well it drives. The Corsa is a household name in arguably its most compelling guise yet, which has contributed to its sales success.
UK sales year-to-date: 2,614
The Volkswagen Golf has been a household name for over half a century now, and the latest model offers a polished drive and improved engines over the model that came before it, making it a compelling choice. Sales have been buoyed by a recent facelift, which hit the market in July 2024.
The latest Golf feels more agile and nimble to drive than the old model, but also strikes a good balance of comfort. Frustrating infotainment and some quality cuts aside, the latest Golf’s interior is more modern and unique than it was before. There’s a long list of trim levels, though most people will be best catered-for with the entry-level Life model that gets 16-inch alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen and even driver assistance features like front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and road sign recognition. Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid models are all available, as are sporty GTI and R models for the hot-hatch enthusiasts, so most bases are covered.
UK sales year-to-date: 2,567
The Peugeot 3008 has made it onto the best-sellers list for January 2025, taking fifth place. It’s available with a wide range of power options, so you can opt for hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric power – the latter is called the E-3008. It sports a striking new coupe-SUV look and an upmarket interior, which has clearly struck a chord with buyers.
Despite its rakish looks, the 3008 actually boasts a larger boot than the Nissan Qashqai and the interior feels well thought out. Trim levels are called Allure and GT, and the 3008 is well equipped as standard with a large 21-inch curved display spanning much of the dashboard, and large 19-inch alloys on Allure cars, giving it an eye-catching look.
UK sales year-to-date: 2,478
The Peugeot 2008 has made it into sixth place on the best-selling cars list. It’s long been a popular model for the brand, and the latest version sports attention-grabbing space-age looks and features Peugeot’s premium interior styling. It may be pricier than some rivals, but its appearance on this list shows that’s not enough to put off buyers.
You can have the 2008 with either a 1.2-litre petrol engine, a mild-hybrid petrol engine or as a fully-electric E-2008 model. Some rivals have bigger boots, but the 2008 has lots of legroom in the back and will be spacious enough for most small families. It’s available in Allure and GT trims much like its larger sibling, the 3008, and is also well equipped as standard.
UK sales year-to-date: 2,332
Despite claiming the spot as the best-selling car of 2023 and 2024, the Ford Puma starts 2025 in seventh place. Has the hype for the Fiesta-based SUV waned? It’s too hard to say, and perhaps strong sales will push the popular car up the sales charts in the coming months, so watch this space. Ford will clearly be hoping so, having killed off the Fiesta to focus its efforts on Puma sales.
The Puma offers much of what we loved about the Fiesta, namely its sporty driving experience, albeit with popular small-SUV styling and more practicality. Configure the Puma with one of Ford’s feisty, yet frugal 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engines and you’ll have yourself one of the best-handling small SUVs around. We’d go for the sporty-looking ST-Line model as this gets a sharply-styled bodykit as well as built-in sat nav and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster which changes appearance depending on which drive mode you’re in.
The Puma was updated in 2024 with tweaked styling and some welcome interior improvements. All versions now get a big 12.8-inch infotainment display as standard, which should go some way to keep the Puma competitive into next year.
UK sales year-to-date: 2,320
The Nissan Juke has long been a popular car since the first-generation model hit the scene and kickstarted the trend for small SUVs. The most recent model is a big improvement over the one that came before it, becoming the fourth best-selling car of 2024 – it’s still a hit with buyers but comes in at eighth place as of the start of 2025.
One of the biggest improvements for the latest Nissan Juke over its predecessor is the driving experience – it’s sharper and more responsive than ever before, with the same underpinnings as the Renault Clio – one of our favourite small cars. Nissan offers the Juke for a competitive price, which only helps its popularity, and it’s fairly well-equipped. All models get LED headlights, cruise control, DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity, but it’s worth paying a little extra and springing for mid-range Acenta to get the eight-inch display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The facelifted model gets even more tech as standard compared to before, along with a sporty N-Sport trim level and bold colour options to help it stand out.
UK sales year-to-date: 2,148
The MG HS was replaced mid-way through last year by an all-new second-generation MG HS and was the eighth best-seller of 2024. This year it debuts in ninth place ahead of its smaller ZS sibling. MG is a brand known for its great value for money, and clearly this is resonating with buyers in the market for an affordable family SUV.
Admittedly, the MG HS doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to the mid-size SUV formula, and although its petrol engines are fairly thirsty and simple, there is a plug-in hybrid version that does a better job in this respect. However, the MG HS’s appeal really lies in its impressively-generous amount of standard kit for the price. All cars get a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry, folding door mirrors, a rear-view camera and parking sensors, while Trophy models add niceties such as faux leather heated front seats, a wireless smartphone charging pad and useful powered tailgate.
UK sales year-to-date: 2,107
The MG ZS is the brand’s smallest SUV, and was replaced by an all-new model in 2024. The ZS offers a lot for the money, which is likely to be the reason it’s currently the UK’s 10th best-selling car – it’s sold solely with a full-hybrid system making it very economical, and you’d need to spring for a higher-spec trim to get a comparable powertrain in the Nissan Qashqai. Unlike the previous ZS, there’s no electric version this time, though the brand will release a separate model to fill this gap.
There’s a lot to like about the ZS – it’s spacious inside and we think it’s pretty comfortable and surprisingly good to drive. The price hasn’t crept up since the last-generation model, either – you can’t say that about many cars these days. You can choose from a simple lineup comprising SE and Trophy versions, but even SE feels well equipped with features like a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with sat nav, so it clearly ticks a lot of boxes for buyers.
Want to know what our favourite new cars are? Check out the winners of our 2025 Carbuyer Best Car Awards...
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