New car sales decrease for first time in 6 years

Car sales in the UK declined in 2017, the first decline in five years. The Motor industry is blaming government for a collapse in consumer confidence in diesel vehicles

Total sales for last year were 2.54m new vehicles, a decline of 5.6% on 2016, with diesel sales dropping 17%.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK automotive industry’s trade body, has forecast a further 5% to 7% decline in sales in 2018.

Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s Chief Executive, said “2017 had been a very volatile year”.
Hawes attributed the drop to a decline in business and consumer confidence in the wider economy and uncertainty over the future of diesel.

Diesel car sales fell by almost a third in December after November’s Budget which introduced a levy on new diesel cars that failed to meet the latest emissions standards.