Demand for new light commercial vehicles (LCVs) rose 1.9% in the month, with a similar result for the year to date – a 2.9% rise to 158,402 units.
Heavy vans (from 2.5-3.5 tonnes) continue to dominate the market this year, enjoying the largest growth with an increase of more than 13% increase on 2015 and LCVs in this segment making up 62% of total registrations.
Pick-up registrations also rose significantly, up by more than 9% for the first five months of the year (to 18,674 units).
However, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes says the remainder of 2016 – while positive – may not match these monthly figures. He says: “Although May was a record-breaking month for the UK’s light commercial vehicle market, the pace of growth is easing and is indicative of the performance we anticipate this year following the very high levels of demand seen in 2015.
“Providing there are no political or economic shocks to business confidence over the coming months, we expect the LCV sector’s good health to prevail during the remainder of 2016 as consumer appetite for online deliveries continues to grow.”
Ford’s CV sales, meanwhile, outpaced the sector’s monthly growth, notching up its highest May volume since 1989.
The manufacturer’s light and medium commercials sales were up by almost 20% for the month compared to May 2015, at 9,218 units compared with 7,745 for the same month last year.