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New car registrations fell -11.2% year-on-year in November to 163,541 units pushing down year-to-date registrations by -5%.
The drop marks the eighth consecutive month of falling registrations in 2017.
November saw significant falls across the board with fleet down -14.4%, business registrations, to companies operating fewer than 25 cars, down -33.6% and retail down -5.1%.
Diesel registrations fell -30.6% in the month and are now tracking at -16.1% in the year-to-date. Demand for alternative fuelled vehicles, covering electric and hybrids, increased by 33.1% in the month and 34.6% in the year-to-date.
“An eighth month of decline in the new car market is a major concern, with falling business and consumer confidence exacerbated by ongoing anti-diesel messages from government,” said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes.
“Diesel remains the right choice for many drivers, not least because of its fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. The decision to tax the latest low emission diesels is a step backwards and will only discourage drivers from trading in their older, more polluting cars. Given fleet renewal is the fastest way to improve air quality, penalising the latest, cleanest diesels is counterproductive and will have detrimental environmental and economic consequences.”