Winners and losers in the 2018 UK car market

CITROEN - UP

• 2017 market share: 2.03% 
• 2018 market share: 2.14% 

With MPVs in their death throes, Citroën is reduced to being a seller of very small cars: 66% of sales come from the Citroen C1/Citroen C3/C3 Aircross. However, the new C5 Aircross could make an impact in 2019. 

DACIA - UP

• 2017 market share: 0.99% 
• 2018 market share: 1.00% 

Dacia has been becalmed for three years with a market share of around 1.0%. However, the new Dacia Duster’s recent arrival on the scene should give the company some increased impetus next year. 

DS - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 0.36% 
• 2018 market share: 0.22% 

DS demanding to be seen as ‘premium’ is a bit like someone endlessly demanding ‘respect’. In both cases, you have to earn it, not demand it. The brand’s big hope among a year of failure is the upcoming DS 3 Crossback.

FERRARI - UP

• 2017 market share: 0.03% 
• 2018 market share: 0.04% 

Not a great year for the firm, with the death of chairman Sergio Marchionne and the failure to win the Formula 1 championship. However, sales are as steady as a rock. 

FIAT - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 1.93% 
• 2018 market share: 1.75% 

During 2018, Fiat 500-badged models accounted for 80% of Fiat’s sales.

FORD - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 11.31% 
• 2018 market share: 10.69% 

Most of Ford’s European profits have traditionally come from the UK, but with the weak pound and falling UK sales, Ford of Europe has serious issues. It continues to have the largest market share of anyone in 2018, though. 

HONDA - UP

• 2017 market share: 2.12% 
• 2018 market share: 2.25% 

Market share has risen over the past couple of years but, with 40% of sales coming from the beige-cardigan Honda Jazz, the image might still take a bit longer to improve. 

HYUNDAI - UP

• 2017 market share: 3.68% 
• 2018 market share: 3.86% 

Hyundai’s steady rise continues. The key factor is that its new models are very rarely duds: this year, the Hyundai Kona and Hyundai Ioniq have slotted into the range, sold well and boosted overall share. 

INFINITI - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 0.14% 
• 2018 market share: 0.03% 

A tough year for Nissan’s upmarket brand. You’d have to look back a long, long way to find a European-made car that has flopped as badly as the Q30/QX30 has done. Its build quality is among the best, but its showroom appeal is precisely the opposite.

JAGUAR - UP

• 2017 market share: 1.40% 
• 2018 market share: 1.56% 

The Jaguar E-Pace and Jaguar F-Pace are doing well but, unfortunately, the Jaguar XE is looking like a poor investment: the Merc Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 Series are both outselling it five to one. The Jaguar XF and aging Jaguar XJ aren’t exactly flying out of dealers, either. 

JEEP - UP

• 2017 market share: 0.25% 
• 2018 market share: 0.26% 

In one of the world’s best 4x4 markets, the world’s most recognised 4x4 range is being outsold by the Kia Kia Stonic – the result of distinctly average products being marketed at premium prices.

KIA - UP

• 2017 market share: 3.67% 
• 2018 market share: 4.14% 

Kia has the ability to sell the unlikeliest cars: its telephone-box Kia Soul MPV is the only car in its shrinking segment actually to increase sales. Even the Kia Optima large saloon and estate are doing decent business. 

LAND ROVER - UP

• 2017 market share: 3.25% 
• 2018 market share: 3.31% 

Previously untouchable Land Rover has picked up a few scratches this year. The new Velar is doing well, but the Land Rover Discovery is down 25% and the Discovery Sport has fallen 20% – two vitally important volume cars.

LEXUS - UP

• 2017 market share 0.50% 
• 2018 market share: 0.54% 

There has been slight growth thanks to the Lexus NX SUV, which takes nearly 40% of sales, but almost every other model has declined. The smaller Lexus UX crossover should give Lexus a shot in the arm next year. 

LOTUS 

• 2017 market share: 0.01% 
• 2018 market share: 0.01% 

Lotus is really in a holding pattern while new owner Geely draws up its hugely ambitious – and exciting – investment plans. Sales are currently tiny. 

MASERATI - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 0.07% 
• 2018 market share: 0.05% 

As with the firm’s Alfa Romeo sibling and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, 2018 was supposed to be the year that Maserati’s new Levante SUV made the long-awaited sales breakthrough. It didn’t. With nothing new on the horizon for 2019, things look decidedly bleak.

MAZDA - UP

• 2017 market share: 1.54% 
• 2018 market share: 1.69% 

The second-generation Mazda CX-5 (now Mazda’s bestseller) has led to a slight rise. The all-new 3 will arrive next year and should add another boost. 

MERCEDES-BENZ - UP

• 2017 market share: 7.12% 
• 2018 market share: 7.24% 

After finishing 2017 as the leading German premium brand for the first time in decades, Mercedes is only very marginally ahead of BMW as this year swings to a close so 2018 will go down to the wire.

MG - UP

• 2017 market share: 0.17% 
• 2018 market share: 0.38% 

It would be pushing it to say the new MG Motor ZS crossover has made a breakthrough, but the figures are certainly encouraging. The ZS is selling about the same as the combined total for the Fiat Fiat 500X and Jeep Jeep Renegade.

MINI - UP

• 2017 market share: 2.68% 
• 2018 market share: 2.69% 

As expected, the new Mini Countryman has boosted Mini’s market share slightly. The only new model activity scheduled for 2019 will be the electric Mini – 10 years after the first 40 prototypes were tested by UK consumers. 

MITSUBISHI - UP

• 2017 market share: 0.63% 
• 2018 market share: 0.87% 

Just when things were going so well, the government abolished the plug-in car grant. As the Outlander was the grant’s biggest beneficiary, sales are likely to suffer in 2019.

NISSAN - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 5.95% 
• 2018 market share: 4.38% 

After years of accelerating sales thanks to the Nissan Qashqai and Nissan Juke, Nissan has had a nasty shock. The Juke (sales down 35%) is now eight years old, which is pretty ancient for a fashion item. 

PEUGEOT - UP

• 2017 market share: 3.24% 
• 2018 market share: 3.43% 

All the growth has come from the Peugeot 3008/Peugeot 5008 range, which has increased by 60% this year. Both models are still outsold by the Hyundai Hyundai Tucson, though, demonstrating Peugeot’s shrunken presence in the UK.

PORSCHE - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 0.55% 
• 2018 market share: 0.50% 

With UK sales of around 15,000 per year, Porsche, that well-known SUV brand, gets approximately 50% of sales from the Macan and Porsche Cayenne, 40% from the Porsche 911 and 718, and 10% from the Porsche Panamera. 

RENAULT - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 2.72% 
• 2018 market share: 2.64% 

A few years ago, Renault culled its UK range, dropping the Laguna, Espace, Modus and Wind. It could easily do the same again: the Mégane, Renault Scenic, Renault Koleos and Twingo contribute very little. 

ROLLS-ROYCE 

• 2017 market share: 0.02% 
• 2018 market share: 0.02% 

Sudden changes in market share would be rather vulgar, but the Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV could lead to a heady 0.3% share in 2019 if the growth trend of the luxury SUV segment continues. 

SEAT - UP

• 2017 market share: 2.21% 
• 2018 market share: 2.70% 

Sales of the Seat Ibiza and Seat Leon are steady so all registrations of the popular new Seat Arona and Seat Ateca are simply swelling the total. 

SKODA - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 3.25% 
• 2018 market share: 3.12% 

Skoda has said there will be no more polarising models in the style of the Skoda Yeti. It believes it can sell far more by sticking to classic, timeless styling. Logical, but rather a shame. 

SMART - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 0.41% 
• 2018 market share: 0.33% 

Mercedes’s last excuse for its Smart brand was that at least it lowered its fleet average CO2. Given that Smart now accounts for around 5% of total Daimler car sales, even that one is wearing thin. 

SSANGYONG - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 0.14% 
• 2018 market share: 0.12% 

Surely, some UK buyers have a use for the only full-sized separate-chassis 4x4 to have been launched in years? If so, Ssangyong is having trouble locating them. 

SUBARU - UP

• 2017 market share: 0.11% 
• 2018 market share: 0.13% 

If Subaru was a school child, it would be the quiet one that was not quite bright enough to stand out, and not quite extrovert enough to be popular. The recent axing of all of its diesels won’t help matters.

SUZUKI - UP

• 2017 market share: 1.59% 
• 2018 market share: 1.64%

Suzuki’s bestsellers, the Suzuki Vitara and Suzuki Swift, both increased sales. The new Jimny will give Suzuki a buzz (in both senses) but it is unlikely to significantly change overall share. 

TOYOTA - UP

• 2017 market share: 4.01% 
• 2018 market share: 4.45%

The Toyota C-HR has grown Toyota’s share but there’s a lot of work for the 2019 Corolla to do. Just over half of sales still come from the low-margin Toyota Aygo and Toyota Yaris. 

VAUXHALL - DOWN

• 2017 market share: 7.68% 
• 2018 market share: 7.41% 

Sales of all continuing models have fallen, including the Vauxhall Astra (down 40%). The recent announcement of a small profit reflected asset sales as much as improved margins. 

VOLKSWAGEN - UP

• 2017 market share: 8.21% 
• 2018 market share: 8.42% 

Now number two in the UK, but not because it has increased share over the past 10 years. Its semi-premium positioning means it has simply avoided the falls of mainstream rivals. 

VOLVO - UP

• 2017 market share: 1.82% 
• 2018 market share: 2.09% 

After nearly 20 years of struggle, Volvo is finally establishing itself as a cool, design-led alternative to German premium brands.

It was a good year to be selling…