Some 90,100 cars were registered last month, making it the busiest February in 22 years, despite the fact that many buyers usually hold off until March to get the new number plate.

That is according to statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, or SMMT, who revealed overall registrations rose by 7.2% compared with the same month last year.

Looked at more closely, the figures showed battery-electric car registrations rose by 2.8% to 21,840 units, but their share of the market slipped to 24.2%.

Other electrified options performed more strongly than full EVs, with plug-in hybrids the standout, jumping 43.5% and reaching an 11.6% market share.

Conventional hybrids grew 3.3% and accounted for 13.1% of registrations.

RESURRECTED

7 all-time favourite motors set to make a comeback – including Ford Fiesta

HIT BRAKES

Britain’s ‘best car brand’ recalls a quarter of ALL its UK motors sold last year

As expected, petrol cars still made up the largest single chunk of the market. Registrations increased by 5.2%, although petrol’s overall share still edged down to 46.5%.

Diesel is in the dumps, though, as its long decline continued, falling 3.8% and shrinking to just 4.5% of registrations.

PUMA TOP AGAIN

On individual models, the Ford Puma returned to the top of the monthly rankings in February with 3,220 sales, after being surprisingly displaced in January.

The Kia Sportage, the chart topper in January, and the Mini Cooper followed, while the Tesla Model 3 climbed into fourth place with 1,584 registrations.

The Jaecoo 7, the Range Rover lookalike at a bargain price that has become a UK-wide favourite, ranked fifth in February with 1,446 sales.

The hulking SUV, which comes packed with kit, has performed incredibly well year to date, indicating an unusually fast start for a newcomer.

The rest of the February top 10 was made up of the Volvo XC40, Volkswagen Tiguan, Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Kuga and Hyundai Tucson.

March now looks like a pivotal month for car sales, with the new number plate traditionally driving a major spike in demand and setting the tone for the year.

Many manufacturers have invested heavily in EV development and are leaning on incentives, including the government’s Electric Car Grant.

However, uncertainty over future policy, particularly proposals for a pay-per-mile electric vehicle duty (eVED) from 2028, could undermine confidence.

“The UK’s new car market is continuing to recover and EV volumes are growing too, even if market share remains disappointing,” said SMMT’s chief executive Mike Hawes.

“All eyes are now on ‘new plate’ March, which typically sets the tone for the year. Given sales of new pure petrol and diesel cars are currently required to end in less than four years, EV uptake must accelerate rapidly.”

New 2026 Ford Puma prices in the UK range from around £26,500 to over £35,000 for top-tier models – with base Titanium trims starting at around £26,580.

Second-hand, the model can be yours for as little as £4,000.