← Forecourt WeeklyIssue 1 · 6 October 2026

Boom Month, Missing Models and Scandals Back in Court

This week on the forecourt

The UK just had its best September for new cars in nine years, and a Chinese SUV most people couldn't name two years ago topped the charts. Meanwhile, NI dealers are still fighting rules that keep some new models off local showroom floors.

Also in this issue: where the dieselgate and car finance compensation sagas stand, and what the critics really think of the UK's car of the moment. Grab a coffee.

Lead story: the 76-plate boom, and the ‘Temu Range Rover’ that led it

UK new car registrations rose 12.1% to 350,518 in September, the strongest September since 2017 and the tenth straight month of growth, according to SMMT figures reported by Just Auto and the Press Association.

The headline act was the Jaecoo 7, with roughly 10,800 registrations. It is now second for the year behind the Ford Puma, overtaking the Kia Sportage (The Car Expert). Auto Express notes the brand only arrived last year and already holds 3.4% of the market, ahead of Renault, Volvo, Honda and Cupra.

Why it matters for used buyers: the SMMT says sharp deals and new entrants are tempting people into new cars who might otherwise have bought used (Just Auto). More new cars now means more nearly-new stock on forecourts in two to three years.

The numbers worth knowing
Measure	September 2026
Total new registrations	350,518 (+12.1%)
Battery electric (BEV)	99,199, a monthly record
Electrified share (BEV + hybrids)	58.4%, a record
Best seller	Jaecoo 7, about 10,800
No. 2	Tesla Model 3, 9,929

Sources: Press Association via AJ Bell, Electrek.

An electric car plugged into a rapid charger at night — A record 99,199 electric cars were registered in September. Photo: YRKA PICTURED on Unsplash

The catch: electric uptake is still short of the government's target. BEVs are 26.2% of sales so far this year against a 33% mandate, and the SMMT reckons hitting it would need another 265,000 EV sales by December (Just Auto). SMMT boss Mike Hawes also credited high fuel prices with nudging drivers towards electric (PA).

One more sign of the times: three of September's top ten were built in China, and the Nissan Qashqai was the only UK-built car in it (The Car Expert).

NI spotlight: why our showrooms aren't getting every new model

While GB celebrates, NI's new car market has been dealing with a rule change most drivers haven't heard of. Since January 2026, a new car can only be registered here if it carries EU type approval; cars approved only to GB standards are out. Used cars are not affected (AM Online).

How the type-approval rule works for new cars in Northern Ireland.

The effect showed straight away. NI registered 4,296 new cars in January, 11% fewer than a year earlier, and no new Vauxhall, Renault, Citroën or Peugeot made the local top ten that month (Irish News). The Irish News also noted Scotland fell that month, so other factors may be at play too.

Local dealers haven't held back. Speaking to Stormont's Economy Committee, Charles Hurst's Jeff McCartney pointed out that customers can still travel to GB to buy a new car that NI dealers can't source for them (NFDA). The NFDA described NI as becoming “almost an island in our own right.”

The Department for Transport has consulted on making manufacturers dual-mark cars with both GB and EU approval so they can be sold here (AM Online). We'll report back when there's a decision.

The Forecourt take: fewer new models locally puts more weight on good used stock. If you're shopping for a nearly-new car, NI's used market is where the choice is.

Scandal desk: two sagas, both back in play this month

Dieselgate claim

July: court sides mostly with carmakers

Some emissions strategies ruled unlawful

October: hearing on consequences

Car finance compensation

March: FCA finalises £9.1bn scheme

Covers deals from April 2007 to Nov 2024

Autumn: lenders reply to complaints

Dieselgate round two: the damages fight

The UK's biggest-ever group claim, brought for around 1.6 million diesel owners, took a hit in July. The High Court ruled largely in favour of Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Nissan, Renault and Peugeot-Citroën, rejecting most of the claims that they fitted illegal “defeat devices” to cheat emissions tests (Just Auto).

It wasn't a clean sweep. The court accepted some emissions strategies were unlawful, including one used on certain Euro 5 Peugeot-Citroën diesels (Commercial Vehicle Contracts). A further hearing this month will decide what those breaches mean in practice, including whether anyone is owed compensation. Renault, for its part, says it will chase its legal costs from the funders who backed the claims (Courthouse News).

Why it matters here: the ruling is expected to shape claims against other brands too, including Vauxhall, BMW, Toyota, JLR and the VW Group (AM Online). Plenty of those diesels are still sitting on NI forecourts.

Car finance compensation: the clock is ticking

The other long-running row is about hidden commission on car finance. The FCA finalised its redress scheme on 30 March, putting the total cost to lenders at around £9.1bn, of which roughly £7.5bn is compensation (City AM). It covers deals taken out between April 2007 and November 2024, split into two schemes for older and newer agreements (Irish Times).

One controversial change: carmakers' own finance arms are no longer automatically on the hook just because they work exclusively with a same-brand dealer (Irish Times). Under the FCA's published timetable, people who have already complained should hear from their lender this autumn, with payments running from late 2026 into early 2027.

Buyer tip: you don't need a claims firm. The FCA says using one could cost you around 30% of any payout (FCA). Also watch for scammers posing as lenders.

Review roundup: is the Jaecoo 7 actually any good?

The short answer from the critics: it's a lot of car for the money, but it won't fool anyone who drives it hard. Here's how the main reviewers see it.

Reviewer	Liked	Didn't like
Auto Express	Space, upmarket looks, keen price	Less polished than rivals; the 1.6 petrol is thirsty (37.7mpg claimed)
What Car?	Quiet on the motorway, roomy cabin, easy driving position	Leans in corners; boot is smallish at 412 litres
evo	Smart plug-in hybrid that saves battery for town driving	Floaty handling, too much in the touchscreen, wind and tyre noise
cinch	Value, five-star Euro NCAP (2025), 7-year/100,000-mile warranty	Brand too new for long-term reliability data
AM Online	Refined, economical PHEV; lots of kit	The MG HS and Chery Tiggo 7 can undercut it

Note the reviewers don't agree on refinement: What Car? found it hushed at speed, evo didn't. Prices start from £29,195 for the self-charging hybrid (evo), and the plug-in version claims up to 56 miles on electric (Auto Express).

Our verdict: a sensible family buy if you want looks, kit and a long warranty. If you care how a car drives, test it back-to-back with a Tucson or Sportage first.

Quick hits

Used EVs are going mainstream. Used battery-electric sales jumped 67% year on year in Q2, though they're still only 5.5% of used transactions (MotorCheck, citing SMMT).
Used prices eased. ONS data showed second-hand car prices fell in June, even as sales picked up (MotorCheck).
Plug-in hybrids are on a tear. PHEV registrations rose 55.7% in September to 59,563 (Trading Economics).
Ford Puma is still the UK's best-selling car for 2026 so far (The Car Expert).

Buyer tip of the week: NI plates don't tell you the age

GB plates carry an age code (a September 2026 car wears a 76). NI registrations are dateless, so the plate tells you nothing about how old the car is (Motorpoint). Always check the first-registration date on the V5C logbook or run a reg check before you hand over money.

Sources and credits

Forecourt Weekly summarises and links to original reporting. All figures are credited to the outlets below; please read them for the full stories.

Forecourt Weekly is for general information only and isn't financial, legal or insurance advice.