Ford Puma review – a fun-to-drive small SUV
The best-selling cars in the UK 2024
With 2024 all wrapped up, we look at the best-selling cars of the year
The tree’s coming down, the tinsel’s away, and 2024 has come to an end, and that means the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has the December and full 2024 car sales figures totted up. With these numbers we’re able to put together a list of the best-selling cars of 2024, as well as identify the latest trends amongst UK buyers.
While sales back in September 2024 were up compared to the year before, things were on the decline in October, November and December – December 2024’s sales figures were 0.2% down on December 2023, with petrol and diesel cars having taken the biggest hit. However, overall car sales for the entire year of 2024 were up by 2.6%.
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Interestingly, sales of electric vehicles have increased in December 2024 compared to the same month in 2023 by a substantial 56.8%, and accounted for 31% of December 2024 sales. Over the entire year of 2024 sales of EVs increased by 21.4% compared to 2023, and made up 19.6% of the entire year’s car sales. Despite this dramatic increase, the only electric vehicle to appear on the top 10 list of best-selling cars in 2024 was the Tesla Model Y, which came in fifth place after topping the best-sellers list for the month of December.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids have accounted for over a fifth of overall car sales in 2024, but petrol cars still dominate the sales charts with 52.2% of the year’s car sales. Diesel is very much on its way out, with just 6.3% of the year’s car sales and a sales decline of 13.6% compared to 2023.
While diesel used to be the fuel of choice for big SUVs, the eight SUVs on this list of the best-selling cars are petrol, hybrid or electric. Their rise in popularity continued throughout December, though the Ford Puma came out on top not only as the best-selling SUV, but the best-selling car overall.
While we like the Puma here at Carbuyer, our list of the best small SUVs will clue you in on its rivals. 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: 48,340
The Ford Puma has come out as the best-selling car of 2024, after snatching the win in 2023, too. It’s somewhat helped by the discontinuation of the closely-related Fiesta supermini, which has made way for more Puma sales – a strategy which has clearly paid off.
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 earlier 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: 47,163
The days of the family hatchback look to be well and truly behind us and mainstays such as the Ford Focus have been replaced in the best-sellers list with of-the-moment SUVs like the Kia Sportage. 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 this year, 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: 42,418
Built in Sunderland, the Nissan Qashqai was the best-selling car of 2022, and for 2023 it came in second place just ahead of its mid-size SUV rivals – this year it finishes in third place behind the Kia Sportage. 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: 34,454
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, and it’s now the fourth best-selling car of 2024, so it’s still a hit with buyers.
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: 32,862
Tesla cut the prices of its Tesla Model Y SUV and Tesla Model 3 saloon in early 2024, and it clearly had an impact on sales. Despite its upmarket billing and price, the Model Y is the fifth best-selling car of 2024 and the best-selling pure EV on this list.
One reason people love the Model Y is its range figure, which has seen some improvements in the past few months. The Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive version can now manage up to 373 miles between charges – a big improvement on the old 331-mile figure. When you do need to top up away from home, that’s also easy thanks to Tesla’s Supercharger network, which has previously been voted the best public chargepoint provider. The Model Y is also great for families, with lots of interior space and storage, along with innovative tech that allows owners to watch films and play games while parked. It’s set for a refresh in 2025 which Tesla will be hoping makes it even more popular.
UK sales year-to-date: 32,370
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: 32,174
The Hyundai Tucson has landed in seventh spot for the best-selling cars of 2024. The facelifted Hyundai Tucson reached UK dealerships earlier this year, which seems to have resulted in a boost in sales.
There’s lots to like about the Hyundai Tucson. For starters, it’s great to drive and strikes a good balance of comfort, too. There’s little body lean to speak of through the corners, and even at low speeds it feels nimble and easy to manoeuvre. It comes with a choice of petrol and hybrid engines which offer great fuel economy, which is also a big part of its appeal. Despite Hyundai’s origins as a budget brand, the Tucson also boasts an attractive interior with lots of equipment, so it’s no wonder it’s proving popular.
UK sales year-to-date: 30,207
The MG HS didn’t appear in the best-selling cars list for 2023 overall, but shot up the rankings and finished as the eighth best-selling car of 2024. 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. An all-new second-generation MG HS has just hit the market with an equally affordable price tag, so its run of strong sales is expected to continue.
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 10.1-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 leather heated front seats, dual-zone climate control and an upgraded stereo for a little extra.
UK sales year to date: 30,202
In a somewhat surprising last-minute appearance, the Volvo XC40 has ended up in ninth place in the top-selling cars of 2024. We’ve always thought of the Volvo XC40 as a slightly more understated, left-field choice of small premium SUV, but it seems it may not be quite as left-field as we thought. Frequent enticing finance deals from the Swedish carmaker may have also played a hand in the popularity of the XC40 by the end of 2024.
The Volvo XC40 is a stylish car to look at and we think its design – despite having been around for a while – has stood the test of time. The XC40 is comfort-focused first and foremost – don’t expect an engaging drive, but rest assured that it’s one of the most refined and comfortable small SUVs on the market. The XC40 is well equipped, too, and we like the fact that it’s upmarket and still rather unassuming – it’s not quite as showy as some rivals.
UK sales year-to-date: 28,981
While it’s a well-established household name, the Volkswagen Polo supermini had been notably absent from the top 10 best-selling cars list most of the way through 2024. As of October 2024, however, it sat in tenth spot and has kept that spot by the year’s end as the sole supermini on this list, proving their popularity hasn’t completely waned.
Buyers like the Polo because it’s long offered a slightly more upmarket and sturdy feel than rivals like the Vauxhall Corsa and Renault Clio. It hasn’t been updated since 2021, but that facelift gave the current Polo styling that aligned it slightly closer to the Golf hatchback, and it still feels fairly fresh today. The Polo is spacious for a supermini and the driving experience is good, while its interior feels more upmarket and technology-led than the old car’s did.
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