With the UK motor industry’s year hinged on a strong sales performance next month, car buyers can expect to secure substantial discounts on new models.
September is always one of the two biggest months for vehicle registrations along with March, as motorists swarm into dealers to strike deals on motors with the latest registration plates launched in those months.
With the coronavirus pandemic strangling the sector’s performance in the third month of the year and showrooms closed from then until the start of June, hopes are now pinned on September to recoup some of the 600,000 lost new vehicle sales so far in 2020.
Analysis leading up to the arrival of the new 70 plate on September by What Car? has found that motorists can save up to a fifth on the price of popular new cars, including the nation’s most-bought SUV, the Sunderland-built Nissan Qashqai.
Get ready for the September car sales: Nissan dealers are already willing to know 21% off the RRP of a 1.5-litre diesel Qashqai as showrooms prepare for what is set to be the biggest month for registrations in 2020
The latest industry figures show that new car sales are down 42 per cent so far in 2020.
By the end of July, around 828,400 motors have been registered – down from 1.4million in the first seven months of 2019.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has earmarked September as the month that determines if the sector can recover fully from the impact of Covid-19 on the economy and public spending – and dealers are prepared for an spike in demand.
Mystery shoppers who negotiate and haggle to cut the best deals on new motors at showrooms across the country on behalf of What Car? found that dealers have cut cash prices on new cars by an average of 7.7 per cent in the lead-up to September.
This works out at an equivalent of £3,066, it says.
However, discounts on some of Britain’s most popular models exceed 20 per cent ahead of the September plate-change.
| Model | Trim | OTR | % Cash Saving | TP Cash Saving** |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Qashqai | 1.5 dCi [115] N-Connecta | £26 770 | 20.9% | £5,471 |
| Volkswagen Touran | 1.5 TSI EVO SE | £28 905 | 20.5% | £5,676 |
| Mercedes-Benz E Class | E220d AMG Line Edition 4dr 9G-Tronic | £41 710 | 19.1% | £7,653 |
| Suzuki S-Cross | 1.4 Boosterjet 48V Hybrid SZ4 | £20 759 | 17.5% | £3,501 |
| BMW 2 Series Coupe | M240i [Nav] Step Auto | £41 550 | 16.9% | £6,655 |
| Nissan Micra | 1.0 IG-T 100 N-Sport | £17 525 | 16.2% | £2,794 |
| Seat Ibiza | 1.0 SE [EZ] | £16 475 | 16.1% | £2,609 |
| Vauxhall Grandland X | 1.2 Turbo Griffin | £28 855 | 15.9% | £4,423 |
| Seat Ateca | 1.5 TSI EVO SE [EZ] | £24 750 | 15.7% | £3,852 |
| BMW 5 Series | 530e M Sport 4dr Auto | £51 545 | 15.7% | £7,930 |
| Mini Convertible | 2.0 Cooper S Classic II | £25 155 | 13.8% | £3,312 |
| BMW X2 | sDrive20i M Sport Step Auto | £38 010 | 13.4% | £4,901 |
| Source: What Car? Target Price. ** % Cash saving takes into account OTR less delivery and registration fees. Prices correct at the time of writing | ||||
Nissan’s popular Qashqai can be had with a 21 per cent saving from dealers, while the luxurious Mercedes-Benz E-Class saloon is being offered with 19 per cent off.
Popular small cars, including the Seat Ibiza and Nissan Micra, are also being discounted, with salesmen happy to slash 16 per cent off retail prices.
Other in-demand models to feature in the list include compact crossover favourites such as the BMW X2, Seat Ateca, Suzuki S-Cross and Vauxhall Grandland X.
If you have a large family and need an MPV, the VW Touran is a quality prospect. Dealers will know 21% off the price of 1.5-litre turbo petrol right now
Mercedes’ classy E-Class is available with savings of up to 19%, if you choose a diesel variant
Suzuki’s S-Cross is an often-overlooked crossover. It has family-car credentials, a great reliability track record and – right now – deals knocking £3,500 off the £20,750 asking price
The selection of popular cars with big discounts doesn’t just include family cars and sensible choices. The sporty BMW 2 Series Coupe is among the best deals
Sporty models, like the BMW 2 Series Coupe and Mini Convertible, are subject to discounts of 14 and 17 per cent respectively.
And for those looking for a spacious family car, the plug-in hybrid BMW 5 Series and petrol VW Touran have had prices slashed 16 per cent and 21 per cent respectively.
While motorists can strike these deals in showrooms for themselves, these discounts are guaranteed for buyers who use What Car?’s online new car buying platform.
Across powertrains, diesel vehicles are available with the highest savings, with the average discount at 8.5 per cent, which equates to £4,547.
Electric and hybrid discounts have steadily risen since the beginning of the year, with the average electric car offered with a 4.7 per cent – or £2,208 – saving in August.
Buy a Nissan Micra 1.0 IG-T N-Sport – like the one pictured – right now and you can save up to 16% on the RRP, the equivalent of £2,800
The Micra isn’t the only in-demand supermini in the list of best deals found by What Car?. Seat’s Ibiza is also subject to savings of 16%
Buy a Vauxhall Grandland X 1.2 Turbo Griffin and you can save up to 16% – which works out at 4,400 off the asking price
Buyers can negotiate almost £4,000 off the price of a new Seat Ateca in the lead-up to September
The What Car? findings come after the SMMT reported the first monthly year-on-year rise of 2020 in new car registrations in July, as the industry benefited from pent-up demand following nearly three months of dealership closures due to the coronavirus crisis.
Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: ‘Normally September is the second-biggest month for new car registrations after March, but this year’s lockdown means it has the potential to eclipse all other months.
‘With all sales now crucial to the industry’s efforts to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 there are some terrific discounts available to try and tempt car buyers back into showrooms.
‘Our team of mystery shoppers is constantly scouring the market to set our Target Prices, and the evidence is that for certain types of car, this is a great time to be buying.’
BMW is offering a discount of 16% (or £7,930 off) its plug-in hybrid version of the 5 Series – the 530e M Sport. With demand for alternative-fuel vehicles very high right now, that’s a good deal
Thinking about making the most of what remains of summer 2020? The Mini Convertible is one of the models you can get big discounts on in the leas up to the 70-plate change
The final car to make the cut is BMW’s new X2 crossover. Despite only arriving in the UK in 2018, dealers will shave 13% off the £38,000 asking price – a total saving of £4,900
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