The latest figures for Scottish new car registrations for February 2025 show a decline of 9.87% compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA).
The Scottish New Car Data report for February 2025 found that a total of 5,834 new cars were registered across Scotland, down from 6,473 in February 2024.
The decline in registrations was observed across most regions in Scotland, with Strathclyde seeing a 9.56% drop and Lothian experiencing the largest decline of 23.35%. Other notable decreases were recorded in the Highlands (-21.18%), Borders (-23.26%), and Grampian (-10.22%). However, some regions saw an increase, including Central Scotland (9.98%) and Tayside (5.59%).
The decline was most pronounced in the business sector, which saw a 19% drop in registrations from 3,147 in 2024 to 2,549 in 2025. The fleet sector also experienced a decrease of 1.07%, while the private sector saw a marginal decline of 1.07%.
Petrol-powered vehicles continued to dominate the market, with 3,450 registrations, though this represents a decrease from 4,372 in February 2024. Electric and hybrid vehicle registrations showed growth, with pure electric vehicle registrations increasing from 536 to 712, and plug-in hybrids rising from 1,120 to 1,320.
Volkswagen remained the best-selling brand in Scotland, increasing its market share from 10.55% in 2024 to 11.72% in 2025, followed by Kia and Vauxhall.
The Kia Sportage was the top-selling car in the Scottish market February 2025, with 170 units sold. Year-to-date, the Vauxhall Corsa leads the charts with 833 registrations.
Light commercial vehicle registrations remained stable in February, with 707 units sold compared to 709 in February 2024. However, year-to-date registrations declined significantly from 2,455 in 2024 to 1,906 in 2025.
