The UK new LCV market has seen a weak start to 2025, with registrations down by 20.5% year-on-year in January.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which publishes the registrations data, said this followed robust growth in 2024, and came against a tough economic backdrop and amid weakened business confidence to invest.
The market-leading 2.5-3.5t van market saw a 22.3% year-on-year drop in demand in January, with 11,537 vehicles registered.
Registrations of 2.0-2.5t vans were down by 30.4%, to 3,507, while vans weighing less than 2.0t were the only sector of the market to see an increase, up by 89.8% to 668.
Pick-up truck registrations were down by 6.5%, to 2,807, while 4x4s were down by 27.2%, to 531.
Electric van registrations were up by 12.4% year-on-year in January, accounting for 7.6% of the overall market.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “The van market has enjoyed a bullish performance over the past two years but, amid a tough economic environment, businesses are under pressure.
“It means action is needed to drive fleet renewal and back the industry which has invested massively to produce new EV models.
“The [UK Government ZEV mandate] review must, therefore, deliver workable regulation that reflects market realities, and ensure infrastructure rollout that makes fleet decarbonisation a commercially viable, compelling proposition.”
The Ford Transit Custom was the most in-demand LCV in January, with 2,728 examples registered, ahead of the Ford Ranger with 1,805, and the Ford Transit with 1,735.
Completing the top ten were the Vauxhall Vivaro (770 registrations), Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (712), Peugeot Partner (686), Citroen Berlingo (650), Vauxhall Combo (630), Renault Trafic (518), and Ford Transit Courier (511).
