Consumer car finance new business volumes grew by 2% in February 2026
New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer car finance new business volumes grew by 2% in February 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. The corresponding value of new business was 5% higher over the same period. In the first two months of 2026, new business volumes grew by 1% compared with the same period in 2025.
The consumer new car finance market reported new business up 16% by value and 15% by volume in February compared with the same month in 2025. In the first two months of 2026, new business volumes in this market were 14% higher than in the same period in 2025.
The consumer used car finance market reported the value of new business in February at a similar level to the same month in 2025, while new business volumes fell by 1%. In the first two months of 2026, new business volumes in this market were 3% lower than in the same period in 2025.
Commenting on the figures, Geraldine Kilkelly, director of research and chief economist at the FLA, said: “The consumer new car finance market recorded a sixth consecutive month of growth in February, with new business volumes reaching their strongest February level since before the pandemic. At the same time, the used car finance market continued to show a broadly stable year‑on‑year performance.
“The UK economy now faces a more challenging outlook, as the conflict in the Middle East is likely to weigh on activity, confidence and financial conditions. Nevertheless, recent trends in motor finance suggest a degree of underlying resilience, with the market continuing to support consumer demand despite significant ongoing economic uncertainty.”
| Table 1: Cars bought on finance by consumers through the point of sale | ||||||
| New business | Feb 2026 | % change on prev. year | 3 months to Feb 2026 | % change on prev. year | 12 months to Feb 2026 | % change on prev. year |
| New cars | ||||||
| Value of advances (£m) | 1,134 | 16 | 3,908 | 17 | 19,584 | 10 |
| Number of cars | 40,702 | 15 | 138,029 | 18 | 688,886 | 9 |
| Used cars | ||||||
| Value of advances (£m) | 1,842 | 0 | 5,161 | 1 | 21,796 | 3 |
| Number of cars | 118,570 | -1 | 330,581 | -1 | 1,398,394 | -1 |
| Total cars | ||||||
| Value of advances (£m) | 2,976 | 5 | 9,069 | 7 | 41,379 | 6 |
| Number of cars | 159,272 | 2 | 468,610 | 4 | 2,087,280 | 2 |
| Table 2: Cars bought on finance by businesses | ||||||
| New business | Feb 2026 | % change on prev. year | 3 months to Feb 2026 | % change on prev. year | 12 months to Feb 2026 | % change on prev. year |
| New cars | ||||||
| Number of cars | 20,456 | -19 | 73,597 | -8 | 343,538 | -2 |
| Used cars | ||||||
| Number of cars | 5,348 | 39 | 14,539 | 27 | 54,501 | 0 |