Monthly market report
UK Vehicle Market Report: July 2026 MOT, EV & Registration Trends
This is AutoRank's July 2026 UK Vehicle Market Report: a monthly look at registration-date records, fuel mix, EV share, MOT pass and fail rates, manufacturer movement, model rankings, common defects and the reliability patterns that show up once vehicles are being used every day.
Key UK Vehicle Stats for July 2026
The headline is a quieter registration month after June's bigger current-database snapshot. All four major fuel types were down by volume, but hybrid electric records still led the fuel table and EVs kept just over a quarter of July registrations.
UK Vehicle Registration Trends in July 2026
AutoRank recorded 109,167 first registration-date records in July 2026. That is down 157,626 records, or 59.08%, against the current June 2026 snapshot. Compared with July 2025, the dataset is down 72,879 records, or 40.03%.
July's story is not a surge in total volume. It is a reset in the monthly registration-date count, with Volkswagen still leading by manufacturer, Jaecoo taking the top model-record spot, and EVs holding a meaningful share even as every major fuel type fell back from June.
Monthly registrations in 2026 so far
March remains the plate-change spike. July is the lowest registration month in the current 2026 run.
EV market share in July
28,233 of 109,167 registration records were electric.
Top 10 registered models in July 2026
| Rank | Make | Model | Registrations | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaecoo | 5 Luxury EV | 821 | 0.75% |
| 2 | Jaecoo | 7 Black Luxury PHEV Auto | 709 | 0.65% |
| 3 | DAF Trucks | Unknown | 663 | 0.61% |
| 4 | MG | HS Trophy HEV Auto | 662 | 0.61% |
| 5 | Ford | Transit 350 Leader EcoBlue | 626 | 0.57% |
| 6 | Renault | 5 Iconic + E-Tech EV | 598 | 0.55% |
| 7 | Jaecoo | 7 Luxury PHEV Auto | 585 | 0.54% |
| 8 | BMW | 120 M Sport MHEV Auto | 584 | 0.53% |
| 9 | MINI | Countryman Monochrome Electric | 582 | 0.53% |
| 10 | Kia | Sportage GT-Line HEV Auto | 574 | 0.53% |
UK EV, Hybrid, Petrol and Diesel Trends
EV monthly registration share eased slightly from 26.40% in June to 25.86% in July. In plain terms, the July count was lower across the board, but EVs still represented roughly one in four registration-date records in the AutoRank dataset.
EV market share in July 2026
There were 28,233 electric registrations in July 2026. That made EVs the second-largest fuel type in the July dataset, behind hybrid electric records.
Petrol vs diesel vs hybrid vs electric
| Fuel Type | July Registrations | Share | Change vs June | Change vs July 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Electric (Clean) | 36,262 | 33.22% | -57,792 | -26,235 |
| Electric | 28,233 | 25.86% | -42,190 | -6,562 |
| Petrol | 24,627 | 22.56% | -36,024 | -25,494 |
| Diesel | 19,437 | 17.80% | -21,211 | -14,518 |
| Electric Diesel | 554 | 0.51% | -350 | +62 |
Fuel split by July registrations
Top registered EVs in July 2026
| Rank | Make | Model | Registrations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaecoo | 5 Luxury EV | 821 |
| 2 | Renault | 5 Iconic + E-Tech EV | 598 |
| 3 | MINI | Countryman Monochrome Electric | 582 |
| 4 | Vauxhall | Frontera GS EV | 467 |
| 5 | Kia | EV3 GT-Line | 434 |
Top hybrid model records in July 2026
| Rank | Make | Model | Registrations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaecoo | 7 Black Luxury PHEV Auto | 709 |
| 2 | MG | HS Trophy HEV Auto | 662 |
| 3 | Jaecoo | 7 Luxury PHEV Auto | 585 |
| 4 | BMW | 120 M Sport MHEV Auto | 584 |
| 5 | Kia | Sportage GT-Line HEV Auto | 574 |
Top diesel model records in July 2026
| Rank | Make | Model | Registrations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAF Trucks | Unknown | 662 |
| 2 | Ford | Transit 350 Leader EcoBlue | 626 |
| 3 | Scania | Unknown | 458 |
| 4 | Volvo | Unknown | 452 |
| 5 | Land Rover | Defender X-Dynamic HSE D MHEV A | 325 |
Top 10 Most Registered Vehicle Model Records in July 2026
Jaecoo led July's model-record table, helped by both EV and plug-in hybrid entries. The table also includes commercial-style records such as Ford Transit and DAF Trucks Unknown, so it is best read as a vehicle dataset view rather than a pure passenger-car chart.
| Rank | Make | Model | Registrations | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaecoo | 5 Luxury EV | 821 | 0.75% |
| 2 | Jaecoo | 7 Black Luxury PHEV Auto | 709 | 0.65% |
| 3 | DAF Trucks | Unknown | 663 | 0.61% |
| 4 | MG | HS Trophy HEV Auto | 662 | 0.61% |
| 5 | Ford | Transit 350 Leader EcoBlue | 626 | 0.57% |
| 6 | Renault | 5 Iconic + E-Tech EV | 598 | 0.55% |
| 7 | Jaecoo | 7 Luxury PHEV Auto | 585 | 0.54% |
| 8 | BMW | 120 M Sport MHEV Auto | 584 | 0.53% |
| 9 | MINI | Countryman Monochrome Electric | 582 | 0.53% |
| 10 | Kia | Sportage GT-Line HEV Auto | 574 | 0.53% |
Top 10 Vehicle Manufacturers in July 2026
Volkswagen stayed in front in July, with Ford second and Mercedes-Benz third. Because July's total registration-date count was much lower than June's current snapshot, every manufacturer in the top ten shows a negative month-on-month movement.
| Rank | Manufacturer | Registrations | Share | Change vs June |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | 8,796 | 8.06% | -11,522 |
| 2 | Ford | 8,449 | 7.74% | -8,366 |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz | 6,206 | 5.68% | -5,112 |
| 4 | BMW | 5,708 | 5.23% | -7,362 |
| 5 | Kia | 4,751 | 4.35% | -5,759 |
| 6 | Audi | 4,575 | 4.19% | -6,973 |
| 7 | Renault | 4,296 | 3.94% | -5,354 |
| 8 | Toyota | 4,010 | 3.67% | -6,492 |
| 9 | Skoda | 3,888 | 3.56% | -5,269 |
| 10 | MG | 3,556 | 3.26% | -6,807 |
Volkswagen and Ford had the largest absolute drops among the top-ten manufacturers in this dataset. That does not make either brand weak overall; it reflects a smaller July registration-date month rather than a clean brand-level verdict.
MOT Pass and Fail Rates in July 2026
AutoRank analysed 2,804,496 MOT tests completed in July 2026. Of those, 2,180,873 passed and 623,623 failed, giving an overall pass rate of 77.76%.
| Category | MOT Tests | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | Average Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All July tests | 2,804,496 | 77.76% | 22.24% | 80,748 |
| Electric fuel records | 56,637 | 85.23% | 14.77% | 49,201 |
| Hybrid electric records | 131,559 | 87.02% | 12.98% | 65,420 |
| Petrol records | 1,481,174 | 78.31% | 21.69% | 64,953 |
| Diesel records | 1,124,036 | 75.52% | 24.48% | 104,993 |
| 3-4 years old | 179,673 | 87.73% | 12.27% | 36,431 |
| 5-9 years old | 908,822 | 83.34% | 16.66% | 61,384 |
| 10-14 years old | 949,526 | 75.45% | 24.55% | 89,609 |
| 15+ years old | 722,813 | 70.95% | 29.05% | 103,117 |
| Under 30k mileage band | 343,522 | 89.15% | 10.85% | 18,750 |
| 30k-59k mileage band | 716,151 | 82.92% | 17.08% | 45,591 |
| 60k-99k mileage band | 925,455 | 75.67% | 24.33% | 78,977 |
| 100k-149k mileage band | 587,402 | 71.09% | 28.91% | 120,559 |
| 150k+ mileage band | 223,555 | 70.16% | 29.84% | 191,365 |
Most Reliable Cars Based on July MOT Data
Reliability needs context. A nearly new hybrid, a 15-year-old diesel and a high-mileage taxi are not doing the same job. For this section, AutoRank compares records inside practical usage groups rather than pretending one raw pass rate tells the whole story.
AutoRank reliability scores are based on MOT pass rates, vehicle age, mileage and defect patterns from UK MOT records. Scores are designed to compare vehicles within similar age and usage groups.
Treat the ranking as a starting point, then compare any vehicle against its own age, mileage and MOT history before making a decision.
Top reliable model records overall
| Rank | Make | Model | July MOTs | Pass Rate | Average Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honda | Jazz Crosstar EX i-MMD CVT | 693 | 93.65% | 26,868 |
| 2 | Honda | Jazz EX i-MMD CVT | 1,379 | 93.40% | 25,212 |
| 3 | Lexus | UX | 1,092 | 92.86% | 41,646 |
| 4 | Toyota | Yaris Cross Excel HEV Auto | 502 | 92.83% | 28,838 |
| 5 | Toyota | Yaris Excel HEV CVT | 590 | 92.54% | 25,771 |
| 6 | Audi | Q3 S Line 35 TFSI MHEV S-A | 517 | 92.26% | 38,716 |
| 7 | Lexus | RX | 1,052 | 92.21% | 63,472 |
| 8 | Volkswagen | Golf R-Line TSI | 513 | 92.20% | 38,726 |
| 9 | Jaguar | I-Pace | 1,087 | 92.18% | 51,529 |
| 10 | LEVC | TX | 872 | 91.97% | 103,531 |
Most Common MOT Defects in July 2026
Tyres dominate the common defect list. That is not glamorous, but it is useful: a large share of MOT risk is still visible, checkable and often preventable before test day.
Most common MOT defect records in July 2026
Most common dangerous MOT defects
| Rank | Dangerous Defect | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nearside front tyre tread depth below 1.6mm | 18,426 |
| 2 | Offside front tyre tread depth below 1.6mm | 15,822 |
| 3 | Offside front tyre has ply or cords exposed | 9,459 |
| 4 | Nearside rear tyre tread depth below 1.6mm | 9,133 |
| 5 | Front brake pads less than 1.5mm thick | 9,080 |
Most common MOT advisories
The advisory list is led by tyres, oil leaks and brake wear. In plain English: check tyres before viewing a used car, and do not ignore oily undertrays or thin pads just because the car still passed.
What This Means for UK Drivers and Buyers
Popular vehicles are not automatically the most reliable vehicles. July's registration chart says what appeared in the registration-date records; the MOT chart says how vehicles are coping once they are out in the real world.
MOT data is useful because it shows weak points that owners actually meet: worn tyres, brake wear, lamps, parking brake issues, engine warning lights and suspension springs. A buyer who checks those patterns before purchase is already ahead of the usual quick look around the bodywork.
EV and hybrid growth is changing the market, but age and mileage still matter. Older petrol and diesel vehicles can show different failure patterns because they usually arrive at the test with more years and more miles behind them. Compare fuel type, age, mileage and common defects together before making a buying decision.
July 2026 Summary
July was quieter for registration-date records, but it was not empty of signal. EVs still took 25.86% of July registrations, hybrid electric records remained the largest fuel group, Volkswagen led the manufacturer table, and Jaecoo topped the model-record chart.
The MOT side of the report is the practical bit for drivers and buyers. The July pass rate landed at 77.76%, hybrid electric records led the main fuel types for MOT pass rate, and the most common defects were still everyday wear items: tyres, oil leaks and brake components that can often be checked before test day.