Karmactive Team
SUVs now account for about two-thirds of new cars sold in the UK so far this year, based on Autocar’s analysis of SMMT data. The share rose to 68% in July 2026, giving crossovers and sport utility vehicles a clear lead over traditional body styles.
Autocar pointed to cheaper Chinese crossovers as one force behind the growth. The Jaecoo 7 was cited as an example of an affordable Chinese model entering the market with SUV styling and a price position that puts pressure on longer-established European and Japanese brands.
The shift also affects estates, saloons and small hatchbacks. Buyers who want space are increasingly choosing taller vehicles, while manufacturers are filling showrooms with SUV options across petrol, hybrid and electric powertrains.
The Nissan Qashqai remains part of the segment’s history because it helped normalise the compact crossover as a family-car choice. Karmactive’s recent Polestar 4 SUV coverage and Hyundai Tucson Hybrid report show the same pattern across price points: the SUV shape is being used for electric, hybrid and petrol models alike.
The fresh point is not only that SUVs are popular. It is that lower-priced crossovers are making the body style harder for smaller and lower-roof cars to resist in the UK market.
