Car sales down as drivers shun diesels

sales of new diesel cars are down by a fifth, triggering the first september drop in overall motor purchases for six years.

Just over 426,000 new cars were registered in september, 9.3 per cent lower than the same month last year, according to the society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

although this marked the sixth consecutive monthly fall, the Smmt said september is particularly important because it is ‘a barometer of the health of the new car market’. It is supposed to be a bumper month as drivers snap up the new registration plate cars.

Demand for diesel was down for the sixth consecutive month amid health warnings and fears that there will be penalties on drivers to crack down on air pollution. almost 171,000 diesel cars were sold last month, down 21.7 per cent from just under 218,000 in september last year. Petrol models were down only 1.2 per cent, while sales of alternatively fuelled vehicles such as hybrids and electric cars rose 41 per cent, to 22,628.

smmt chief Mike Hawes said: ‘Business and political uncertainty is reducing buyer confidence. Confusion surrounding air quality plans has not helped, but consumers should be reassured that all the new diesel and petrol models will not face bans or additional charges.’