U.K. New-Car Sales Post Fourth Straight Monthly Gain

New-car sales rose for a fourth consecutive month in the U.K. in June, climbing 3.5% to 189,514 units, boosting the year’s first-half total 2.7% to 1,057,680.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says demand by private buyers recovered in the first half, increasing 8.7% to 476,283 units, with June contributing a 9.8% gain to 79,916.

SMMT CEO Paul Everitt says despite domestic and international economic concerns, U.K. motorists are responding positively to new products and the latest fuel-efficient technology.

Fleet volumes were on par with last year, while business demand declined.

Last month’s sales were 15% below the pre-recession 2007 result, but were 2.5% ahead of average June volumes for the previous three years, the SMMT says.

The market was 5% ahead of the SMMT forecast for second-quarter 2012. The group says the growth is encouraging, given the subdued economic situation, and compares with the full-year 2011 total of 1.94 million units and full-year 2012 forecast of 1.95 million.

“The industry has performed better than expected in the first half of the year, and we will now need to work hard to sustain growth,” Everitt says in a statement.

Technological gains helped average new-car carbon-dioxide emissions fall 4% to 134.1 g/km in the first six months. Sales of alternatively fueled cars jumped 47.8% to 2,481 units in June, while diesel volumes rose 7.1% to 97,722, pushing their first-half market share up to 51.2% from 50%.

Ford remained the U.K. market leader in June, even though its car sales slid 3.5% to 23,654 units. After six months, deliveries were up 4.1% to 144,481.

The Ford Fiesta was the best-selling model in June, with 9,063 units and in the first half with 59,570. It was followed by the Vauxhall Corsa, with 8,800 for the month and 47,147 year-to-date.

The van and truck market slipped 0.4% to 25,864 units in June, with truck sales climbing 14.7% to 3,577 and the bigger van segment down 2.5% to 22,287.

“The commercial-vehicle market stabilized in June after a changeable few months,” Everitt says. “The trend is generally stable, but it is far from settled and is likely to follow the course of the U.K. and European economy in the second half of the year.”

First-half data shows the CV market down 5.6% to 143,582 units. Van sales slumped 10.1% to 119,786, while the truck market improved 26.0% to 23,796.