[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/best-selling-cars-2016\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/best-selling-cars-2016\/","headline":"Best Selling Cars – 2016","name":"Best Selling Cars – 2016","description":"For anyone working in a new car dealership, the year has probably been even more of a blur with 1.42 million new cars sold in the first six months. To provide some context, that\u2019s the best half-year for new car registrations on record. But which cars have Brits been buying the most in 2016? Before we tell you, it\u2019s worth highlighting a term mentioned a second ago – \u2018new car registrations\u2019. These are exactly as you\u2019d guess: the attribution of […]","datePublished":"2016-07-07","dateModified":"2016-08-03","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/feature-4.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/feature-4.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/best-selling-cars-2016\/","about":["Cars"],"wordCount":761,"keywords":["2016 Best Selling Cars","Best Selling Cars","bmw","fiesta","ford fiesta","ford focus","golf","honda civic","Mazda MX-5","Mercedes-Benz\u2019s","Mercedes-Benz\u2019s C-Class","Mokka","new car registrations","nissan","qashqai","Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders","Vauxhall","vauxhall astra","Vauxhall Corsa","Volkswagen Polo","volvo xc90"],"articleBody":"For anyone working in a new car dealership, the year has probably been even more of a blur with 1.42 million new cars sold in the first six months.To provide some context, that\u2019s the best half-year for new car registrations on record. But which cars have Brits been buying the most in 2016?Before we tell you, it\u2019s worth highlighting a term mentioned a second ago – \u2018new car registrations\u2019. These are exactly as you\u2019d guess: the attribution of a newly generated registration number to a specific, previously unregistered car. Yes, quite.So when a box-fresh Honda Civic rolls out of a factory in Swindon and onto a forecourt in Wolverhampton, it\u2019ll be given a new registration, et voila, that\u2019s another one for the tally.Note that the car hasn\u2019t actually been sold, therefore it\u2019s wrong to consider new car registrations and new car sales as one and the same.What actually happens to the car then isn\u2019t reflected in the figures, it could just sit and rot at the dealership until England win at a major international football tournament, it\u2019s not a \u2018sale\u2019.As the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which compiles data on the UK vehicle parc, only releases data on registrations, that\u2019s all we can go off, but these numbers provide a good indicator of what UK motorists have been buying. That or Ford has a ginormous warehouse stacked with millions of Fiestas (oops, spoilers!). 10) Mercedes-Benz\u2019s C-ClassMercedes-Benz\u2019s C-Class (22,069 registrations) in tenth is the only executive car in the list, which is a victory for it over rivals such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Jaguar XE.9) MokkaVauxhall is the only car maker with three models in the top ten and ninth place Mokka (22,462) SUV is proving a decent money-spinner ahead of the soft-roader\u2019s mid-life refresh and renaming (it\u2019ll soon be known as \u2018Mokka X\u2019) later this year.8) Mini HatchEighth for us is the mighty Mini Hatch (24,293). The third generation model under BMW ownership is undeniably the finest iteration yet, not to mention the largest size-wise too.7)\u00a0Volkswagen PoloThe eternal popularity of the Volkswagen Polo (28,000) is reflected in its appearance at number seven.It has maintained a no-nonsense exterior ever since it first appeared in 1975 and every generation boasts an unquestionable sophistication. Big enough to fetch a weekly shop with the kids but compact enough to slip into tight city parking spots, the Polo is just perfect.6)\u00a0 Vauxhall AstraThe Vauxhall Astra (28,406) was named 2016 European Car of the Year ahead of the brilliant Volvo XC90 and Mazda MX-5 earlier this year. A sizable chunk of the British public clearly agrees, with the seventh generation hatchback landing in sixth place.5)\u00a0Qashqai Even the top cheeses at Nissan were surprised when the Qashqai (33,656) outstripped sales expectations several times over, and the second gen model continues to sell by the thousand every month.4)\u00a0GolfWhatever the Dieselgate emissions cheating scandal did to Volkswagen\u2019s reputation, it hasn\u2019t done much to rattle Golf sales with 37,577 of the dependable hatchbacks \u00a0registered in the first half of 2016.3) Ford FocusHowever, VW will still be a bit miffed that it can\u2019t quite catch the Ford Focus (38,715), the Golf\u2019s eternal nemesis and the UK\u2019s best-selling car for many years before it was debunked by its little brother – the Fiesta.Both the Golf and Focus combine excellent practicality, smart styling and attractive running costs to the point that you\u2019d be better tossing a coin to choose one over the other.So we\u2019re down to the final two and will it be, the Vauxhall Corsa or Ford Fiesta that claims the UK top spot?Well, we\u2019ve spoiled the ending twice so far so if you haven\u2019t worked it out…. \u00a0it\u2019s the Fiesta!The Corsa wasn\u2019t even close either. The Fiesta registered 68,833 units between January and the end of June, over 26,000 more than the Corsa\u2019s 42,356.Both are excellent runarounds, keenly priced, great looking, and perfectly proportioned for British roads to complete a supermarket blitz or a swift motorway run.However, the Fiesta is the more refined of the two, with more satisfying handling and personality in the styling department.So there you have it. Will the Fiesta still be top when the rest of 2016\u2019s figures are released? Probably, it has been Britain\u2019s best-selling car for the past few years. But that doesn\u2019t mean you should check back in six months\u2019 time just to make sure anyway\u2026"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Cars","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/\/cars\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Best Selling Cars – 2016","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/best-selling-cars-2016\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]