Britain's iconic first cars vanishing from UK roads as Ford Fiesta sales hits 12-year low

Britain's most iconic first cars are disappearing from UK roads, with the Ford Fiesta at its lowest level since 2012 as the shift to electric vehicles squeezes the affordable used car market for young drivers.

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Andrew Gilpin Deputy Editor in Chief

14:52, 20 May 2026Updated 14:54, 20 May 2026

[Everyone loves a Ford Fiesta... don't they?]

Everyone loves a Ford Fiesta... don't they?(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)

Britain's most iconic first cars are vanishing from UK roads according to fresh analysis of DVLA data by Gumtree.

The UK's top 10 most popular first cars now total 4.64 million vehicles in 2025, a decrease of 3% year on year and 12% below their 2016 peak - marking the lowest level in over a decade.

The Ford Fiesta, long regarded as Britain's quintessential first car, has dropped to 1.29 million licensed vehicles, its lowest count since 2012. Over 216,000 Fiestas have vanished from UK roads since 2016 following Ford's decision to cease production in 2023.

Other favoured first cars have also experienced steep declines since 2016, including the Vauxhall Corsa (-23%), Renault Clio (-43%), Nissan Micra (-41%) and Toyota Yaris (-26%).

Gumtree suggests this trend reflects manufacturers discontinuing affordable petrol models as government regulation hastens the transition towards electric vehicles.

[The Fiesta has been a favourite for generations]

The Fiesta has been a favourite for generations(Image: DDP/AFP via Getty Images)

Gumtree's motoring expert Louis Maxwell said: "A generation ago, almost every new driver started in a Fiesta, Corsa or Clio. What the data now shows is that those traditional first cars are gradually disappearing from UK roads.

'The hurdle facing younger motorists is that demand for budget-friendly used cars stays remarkably high, while availability keeps dwindling. Manufacturing setbacks during COVID cut the volume of new vehicles hitting the market, and car makers are now phasing out beloved petrol models as they shift towards electric and hybrid alternatives.

\This is causing a crunch in the entry-level sector, where purchasers are progressively battling for older motors that would have previously been much cheaper and simpler to locate."

Despite dwindling availability, appetite for reasonably-priced used cars stays robust. According to Gumtree, roughly 85% of buyer enquiries are for motors priced under 5,000, with younger motorists progressively vying for older petrol and diesel models in low insurance categories.

Purchasers with a sub-5k budget hoping to buy a Fiesta will likely choose one more than 10-years old (before 2016) and expect over 70,000 miles.

While conventional models continue to drop, some smaller city cars are defying the pattern. The Hyundai i10, Peugeot 208 and Kia Picanto have all risen in number since 2016, showing growing appetite for smaller, lower-emission and cheaper-to-run motors. The Fiat 500 has also grown 37% since 2016, staying one of the few traditional first-car models to maintain long-term appeal.

The data reveals a distinct generational change: the motors that previously ruled driving lessons, initial insurance policies and early ownership are gradually vanishing from UK roads as budget-friendly options for younger motorists become increasingly difficult to locate.

Top 10 first cars in UK now vs 2016

2025

vs. 2024

vs. 2016

Ford Fiesta

1,289,335

-66,745

-5%

-216,639

-14%

Vauxhall Corsa

905,288

-31,842

-3%

-274,192

-23%

Volkswagen Polo

685,260

-644

-0%

+30,968

+5%

Fiat 500

395,224

-4,233

-1%

+107,599

+37%

Toyota Yaris

315,475

-17,707

-5%

-112,348

-26%

Renault Clio

307,809

-17,213

-5%

-230,047

-43%

Hyundai i10

282,805

+8,580

+3%

+97,255

+52%

Peugeot 208

233,734

+2,075

+1%

+96,166

+70%

Nissan Micra

225,751

-15,144

-6%

-154,302

-41%

Kia Picanto

220,081

+7,341

+3%

+71,484

+48%

Total

4,640,681

-142,873

-3%

-655,540

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