The Jaecoo 7 has become the UK’s best-selling car in March 2026, knocking the Ford Puma off the top spot. 

The only car to exceed 10,000 sales last month, the Jaecoo 7 saw 10,064 new registrations, compared to 9,193 for the Ford Puma. 

Other top-selling cars in March were the Nissan Qashqai (8,718), Kia Sportage (7,310) and the Vauxhall Corsa (6,315). 

The Ford Puma has been the best-selling car for the last 3 years, but now faces a significant threat from Chery, the Chinese giant responsible for the Jaecoo 7.

The new sales figures mark a wider trend of drivers shifting from legacy manufacturers to newer Chinese brands, which now account for more than the market’s overall growth. 

Another Chinese car maker gaining ground is BYD. Combined, BYD and Chery’s year-to-date registrations are ahead of Volkswagen – usually the UK’s leading brand.

Chinese car knocks Ford Puma off best-selling top spot

Drivers in England will soon face fines for parking on pavements due to new powers issued to councils by the government.  

Currently, pavement parking is banned in London and Scotland, but local authorities in the rest of England can only place restrictions on certain streets. 

Now, ministers are making plans to outlaw pavement parking in the rest of the country. 

Pavement parking can make it difficult for pedestrians with mobility issues or parents with prams to walk on the path without going into the road. The new plans are intended to make streets safer for all road users. 

Fines for pavement parking in London are typically around £100. The new rules will give councils the power to set their own penalties. 

Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: 

“Clear pavements are essential for people to move around safely and independently, whether that’s a parent with a pushchair, someone using a wheelchair, or a blind or partially sighted person. 

“That’s why we’re giving local authorities the power to crack down on problem pavement parking, allowing more people to travel easily and safely and get to where they need to go.” 

The new powers are expected to come into in 2026.

Drivers could soon face fines up to £100 for pavement parking

Since the start of the conflict in Iran, the cost of fuel has increased across the UK, with Northern Ireland the worst-affected area for both petrol and diesel. 

 February, the cost of diesel in the region has jumped by 38%, and petrol has risen by 21%. 

The North West, Wales, and the North East are also among the worst-affected areas for both increases in petrol and diesel. 

Regions worst affected by petrol increases 

Regions worst affected by diesel increases 

 February when Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz due to US and Israeli airstrikes. 

Normally used to ship 20% of the world’s oil supply, the stoppage has caused wholesale oil prices to soar which is now impacting drivers at the pump. 

Since the start of the conflict, the cost of filling up a typical 55-litre car has risen from £73.05 to £86.05 for petrol and £78.31 to £104.31 for diesel.

The UK areas hit hardest by fuel price increases

Octopus Energy and Andersen EV have partnered to give drivers six months of free home EV charging. 

Delivered through Octopus Energy’s Intelligent Octopus Go tariff, the offer applies to anyone purchasing an Andersen charger from 1 March 2026. 

The offer could save EV drivers around 4,370 miles of free driving during the six-month period – the equivalent to an estimated £221 in savings. 

Octopus Energy’s smart EV tariff takes advantage of off-peak rates and renewable-led off-peak electricity. 

The launch aligns with the March ‘26 registration plate change to support new EV owners setting up home charging for the first time. 

The promotion covers Andersen EV’s full charger lineup, including Andersen A3, Andersen A2, and Andersen Quartz (compact model). 

Richard Sephton, Head of EV Partnerships at Octopus Energy, said: "Andersen is accelerating the EV transition by bundling the cost-saving power of Intelligent Octopus Go into its charger range.  

“By offering this as a bundled solution, EV drivers will unlock hundreds of pounds in annual savings that smart tariffs provide, delivering a premium charging experience that pays for itself." 

The news follows a promotion by the government to 

increase EV charger grants from £350 to £500

 covering almost of the cost of a typical installation. 

UK energy provider announces 6 months of free EV charging

The government has announced an increase in its EV charge point grant for renters, flat owners, businesses and households without a driveway. 

Until March 2027, drivers could save half the typical cost of an EV charger installation with the government’s grant, which has now increased from £350 to £500. 

The change will allow EV owners to access cheaper electricity rates at home or at work for as little as 2p per mile – the equivalent of Birmingham to London for £3.50. 

Increased access to charging at homes and businesses is part of a wider plan to gear drivers up for the upcoming “EV revolution”.  

The latest figures show access to domestic charging can save EV owners up to £1,400, compared with standard petrol vehicles. 

Schools will be eligible for a grant of up to £2,000 per socket, helping to build on the 3,700 sockets already installed. 

Another government scheme aimed at increasing adoption, the £2 million Electric Car Grant, has previously helped 55,000 drivers save thousands when purchasing a new electric vehicle. 

Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, Keir Mather said:  

“We’re taking action to make EV ownership the affordable choice for everyone – not just those with driveways. Bigger grants mean families, flat owners, renters and small businesses can now install a charger for almost half the usual cost, with home charging costing as little as 2p a mile. 

“Combined with our Electric Car Grant which has saved over 55,000 drivers thousands off the price of a new EV whilst boosting sales for carmakers, and record funding for our national public charging network, we’re backing the EV revolution for drivers, businesses, and industry.” 

Drivers could save half the cost of EV charger installation with new government grant boost

Grant boost could save half the cost of EV charger install

Think you know your cars? Guess the year these iconic models first launched.

Quiz: When did these popular car models first launch?

Can you guess when these popular car models launched?

John Clark BMW and MINI Aberdeen are our final dealership to have been named Dealer of the Month for 2025. 

This is the second time John Clark BMW and MINI Aberdeen have won the award, having won previously in December 2022. 

This time, the team received the recognition for utilising Bumper’s flexible payment options to improve the customer experience. 

Since 2022, the team have increased payment flexibility for their customers by adding additional payment methods into their offering – resulting in a near-perfect 4.8 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot. 

In a review, one customer said: “BMW Aberdeen John Clark’s customer service is amazing. Very helpful, and I would really recommend Bumper to anyone who wants to split their bills.” 

Another customer said: “Unbelievably easy to set up. Done in like 30 seconds. So easy to spread out payments over a time to suit you. Would definitely use again.” 

By turning on Bumper Pro, John Clark has unlocked access to exclusive operational cost-saving features. 

Raymond Henderson, Service Manager at the Aberdeen branch, said: “You can see Bumper Pro was built by people who just get automotive. It addresses day-to-day challenges dealers like us face every day. 

“By diverting customers to more cost-effective payment methods like Pay by Bank, we’ve been able to reduce the burden of card processing fees on the business. 

“With Bumper Pro, you see the difference it makes to the business right away. Now that we have it, we can’t live without it.” 

Congratulations to the whole team at John Clark BMW and MINI Aberdeen! 

John Clark BMW and MINI Aberdeen: Harnessing flexible payment options to bolster customer experience 

John Clark BMW and MINI Aberdeen win Dealer of the Month

The government has started trialling new digital driving licenses with the Government Digital Services (GDS) and DVLA. 

Currently being tested internally with small numbers of GDS and DVLA staff, the trial could see the rollout of a digital license in the GOV.UK One Login app later in 2026. 

The digital license will contain the same information as your license – name, photo, license number, date of birth, address, expiry date and driving entitlements. Physical cards will remain valid for drivers who choose them until at least 2030. 

The trial is part of a broader ‘GOV.UK Wallet initiative’, aimed at making all identity documents digital. 

Science Secretary, Peter Kyle, said the digital wallet “opens huge opportunities to make interacting with public services much easier by putting people in control of their own data.” 

New tech like the digital wallet is expected to save £45 billion in efficiency savings, according to a government report. 

Alastair Shephard

Content Writer