SMMT van registration figures H1 2012-13

Van registrations in the first half of 2013 rose by 11.2% compared to the same period in 2012, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The rise in van registrations outweighed a 10.4% year-on-year decline in truck registrations, as vans are sold in much higher volumes than trucks.

As a result, UK commercial vehicle registrations rose by 7.6% during the first half of this year, compared to the same period in 2012:

UK van and truck registrations: 2013 and % change on 2012

Figures courtesy of SMMT (www.smmt.co.uk)

By far the biggest volume gains in the van market were in the 2.0t-2.5t category, where new registrations rose by 22.9% from 16,058 during the first half of last year to 19.728 for the same period this year. Vans such as the Citroen Berlingo, Ford Transit Connect and Volkswagen Caddy fit into this weight bracket, highlighting how smaller vans are gaining popularity over larger models.

The pick-up market has also seen strong growth this year, with new registrations rising by 36.1% from 11,101 to 15,105, but despite this, large vans (2.5t – 3.5t) remain the biggest sellers in the UK. Registrations of full-sized vans like the Ford Transit and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter rose by 6.7% to 73,387 during the first six months of 2013.

Commenting on the figures, Nigel Base, the SMMT’s Commercial Vehicle Manager, said:

“The overall CV market rose 7.6% in the first half of 2013 with strong van registrations (up 11.2%) outweighing the uncertain truck market (down 10.4%). Looking ahead to the rest of 2013, we expect the van market to remain stable with a return to a more normal replacement cycle sustaining the market. For trucks, growth in June could be the first sign of a Q3/Q4 recovery as buyers pick from late Euro 5 or new Euro 6 models ahead of new Euro-standard legislation hitting from 2014.”

Van registrations fell quite heavily in 2012, and despite this year’s growth, new registrations are only slightly higher than they were at this point in 2011, which has contributed to the sustained high used van values we have seen over the last year. If Mr Base is right and fleet replacement cycles do return to normal, the used van market could get a much-needed influx of decent quality 2 – 4 year old vans, that may help reduce price pressure on used vans somewhat — good news for used van buyers, if not for dealers.