BMW crowned the hottest new car brand of 2025
19th December 2025 – According to the latest data from Autotrader, BMW finished the year as the most popular new car brand as interest in the new car market remains buoyant with total visits to Autotrader’s new car platform growing by 6% year-on-year.
Established brands remain a favourite amongst new car buyers
Across the total new car market, BMW was the ‘hottest’ new car brand with over a tenth (12%) share of all new car enquiries sent to retailers, marginally ahead of Land Rover which generated an 11.9% share of enquiries. Audi completed the top three with an 8.2% share of leads. The Land Rover Range Rover Sport was the most popular car having received a 3.5% share of enquires. This was followed by Volkswagen’s iconic Golf model – voted by consumers as the best car for new drivers at this year’s Autotrader Drivers’ Choice Awards - which generated a 3.3% share and the Land Rover Range Rover which received 3.1%. Despite the brand’s cyber attack challenges in the summer, Land Rover retailers were still able to benefit with large numbers of potential new car buyers enquiring via the Autotrader new car platform.
The top 10 most popular new cars in 2025 also featured models from new entrants including Jaecoo and BYD. Jaecoo narrowly missed out on third position with its premium SUV Jaecoo 7 (3.0%) whilst the BYD Seal U placed eighth with a 1.5% share of all enquiries. Competition amongst brands was a defining feature in 2025 with a number of brands such as Jaecoo and BYD growing extremely fast and turning plenty of heads amongst consumers.
Highlighting the significant rise in electric car consideration, electric vehicles (EVs) have taken over a fifth (20.3%) of all new car leads on Autotrader in 2025 year-to-date, up from 16.3% the previous year. MG led the way, generating a 15.8% share in EV enquiries, followed by BMW which had to settle for second place with an 8.4% share of leads sent to retailers. Popular French car maker Renault – which received the Sustainability Initiative award at this year’s Autotrader’s Drivers’ Choice Awards - rounded off the top three, having generated a 6.8% share of enquiries. Between them, the top three brands accounted for nearly a third of all new EV enquiries in 2025
MG4 tops the electric charts as manufacturers continue to offer strong discounts
MG’s position at the top of the EV table has been fuelled by the unshakeable popularity of its MG4, which leads the way for the most in-demand new car electric model on Autotrader this year, generating a 5.4% share of enquiries. This was closely followed by another model from the British-badged but Chinese-owned marque, with the MG S5 receiving a 5% share of all electric enquiries. One of 2025’s most hotly anticipated new cars, the Renault 5 E-tech-electric also drew plenty of interest amongst consumers as the supermini was the third most in-demand electric car with a 4.6% share of enquiries.
Recent uptick in EV demand puts new car market in strong position for 2026
December has been a positive month for new EV demand, with electric models accounting for nearly a quarter (23%) of all new car enquiries. Although softening slightly in recent weeks, strong incentives have helped to maintain robust levels of EV demand during the closing months of the year as manufacturers look to stimulate consumer interest and help meet ZEV mandate targets. Reflecting the surge in interest, EV sales over the last quarter have represented a quarter (25%) of the total new car market (up 3% on the YTD average). Although the market will fall slightly short of the 28% ZEV mandate target for this year, EVs represent a significant pathway for new car growth, albeit with potential challenges to navigate on the way.
Fierce competition expected in the new car market in 2026
A key trend for 2026 will be a very fast-changing brand landscape, which is set to evolve more rapidly than ever before. With 72 brands currently competing for attention – a whopping 27 more than in 2019 – and around 80 expected by the end of 2026, car buyers have more choice than ever. This rapidly shifting and hyper-competitive landscape is exacerbated by low customer loyalty, particularly in the EV sector, where only 1 in 5[1] new electric owners are choosing to repurchase the same brand.
With this increased competition, combined also with the regulatory pressures in the market, there are still considerable prospects for growth in 2026. The key will be how brands and retailers can adopt a highly conquest-driven approach, a slick digital presence and a clear value proposition to win over customers who are increasingly receptive to new brands.
Despite ongoing pressures, demand for new cars has been positive in 2025, with total visits to our new car platform increasing by 6% compared to the previous year. The introduction of government incentives such as the Electric Car Grant and strong discounting offers have helped to drive EV interest amongst consumers over the past 12 months; combined with a fast-growing range of more affordable options, making the switch to electric has become more appealing. The upfront price gap is now at 17% which is a huge improvement compared to last year and signals momentum in the transition following real commitment from manufacturers. Although next year will see its challenges for the new car market, it won’t be short of opportunities and we expect consumer demand to remain robust. Retailers should ensure they have a solid strategy in place including a brand conquest led approach in order to attract new customers
Most in demand new car electric models on Autotrader in 2025 ranked by enquiries/leads.
Most in demand new car models on Autotrader in 2025 ranked by enquiries/leads – all fuel types.
Most in demand new car brands on Autotrader in 2025 ranked by enquiries/leads – all fuel types.
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