The latest new car registration figures from the SMMT show the highest half-year sales figures on record

The car industry in the UK is thriving and the figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows a rise of 7% in the first six months of 2015. With total registrations of 1,376,889 new cars, it’s the highest half-year figure since records began.

This boom is not a temporary blip either, as June 2015 marked the 40th consecutive month of growth in the market, with registrations up 12.9% on May. The SMMT figures also reveal our purchasing habits with 13.9% people choosing a car manufactured in the UK which is the highest level in five years.

The increase is due to attractive finance packages and low-interest rates and people are making the buying decision. An added factor is a host of new models featuring some amazing technological innovations. EV’s and Hybrids also feature prominently on the list with an increase in volume by 70.9% compared to May figures.

Chief Executive of SMMT, Mike Hawes, said, ‘It is still a great time to buy a new car in the UK, and it is encouraging to see more consumers choosing British models.

This is important to the wider economy with 799,000 people now employed across the UK automotive sector, including retail.

There were no surprises regarding the best selling cars this month, the Ford Fiesta comes in first with more than 20,000 sales over the Vauxhall Corsa in second place. The Ford Focus comes in third with the first UK-built entry, the Nissan Qashqai bringing home fifth. The UK motoring market shows a rosy picture after a long period of decline.