Heavier vans saw a small decline in demand, with registrations for the 2.5- to 3.5-tonne segment down by 2.2% last month.
However, these larger vehicles accounted for almost two-thirds (63%) of all the vans registered so far this year.
There was a mixed picture for smaller LCVs, with registrations of new vans below 2 tonnes rising by 1.6%, while vans between 2-2.5 tonnes fell by 2.8%.
Year-to-date figures show heavy vans continue to dominate the market, with registrations up 10.8% as operators seek to maximise the productivity of their fleet.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “After a record performance in the first half of the year, it was inevitable that growth would start to level off over the summer. Maintaining business confidence for LCV operators will be critical to this sector’s future performance.”
There was a standout performance from Ford, however, which posted its strongest ever monthly performance, with the Transit leading the way.
Ford light and medium commercial vehicle sales rose by more than 11% last month, compared to the same month last year.
Its market share for this sector is now almost 30%.
Andy Barratt, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, says: “Ford’s CV sales volume is the highest we’ve ever seen in July, surpassing the previous record set in 2007, and with the efficient new EcoBlue diesel engine now in the Transit range, we expect to see our share increase further.”