September was busiest for past decade.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders have revealed that 2014 saw the most car sales for the month of September for the past ten years. 425,861 cars were bought last month, a number boosted by the new UK14 number plate.

September was the second most lucrative month of the year for car traders, following on from the other peak in car sales back in March. These biannual peaks are as a result of the new number plate becoming available. Consumers looking to buy a car in February or August will wait until the next month to get a car with the new number plate.

Number Plate Numbers

The most popular new registration plate since 1998 was back in 2004, with the UK04 reg recording 1,360,142 cars. In second place was the UK03 reg, with S989 reg in third, UK02 in fourth and UK14 in fifth. A positive sign for the industry and the economy as a whole as the UK14 reg is the only plate on the list post credit crunch.

Another interesting statistic is how we have downsized since the economic crisis. From 1999 to 2008, the Ford Focus was the most popular car. In today’s market, the Ford Fiesta is the most popular and has been for several years. The SMMT show that this trend is not restricted to Ford, with many motorists choosing a supermini over larger hatchbacks and estates.

More efficient

One expected change over the years is the improvement in engine efficiency. Back in September 2004, the average miles per gallon was 42.4. This has increased to 59.0 miles per gallon in today’s market.

Increased awareness of environmental issues has also led to a reduction in CO2 emissions. 2004 the average car released 179g/km. Today, that average is down to 122g/km, a positive trend for the environment.

What, no hot pink?

Most popular car and colour in one handy photo.

The final interesting statistic in the SMMT report was the change in approach to colour choice. Back in 2004, silver was the most popular colour chosen by customers, with blue in second, then black, grey and red completing the top five. In 2014, silver has dropped out of the top five completely, with white the most popular colour in the UK. Black is in second, reflecting its popularity with customers here at Creditplus. Completing the top five in 2014 are blue, grey and red.

For the full report, head over to the SMMT website.

More from Creditplus:

Have a look at our own car finance facts to see how car sales have been trending here at Creditplus.

UK government launch £11 million competition to research and develop new carbon cutting technologies.

Looking to cut costs of your own? Here are some top tips for young drivers looking to reduce their insurance premiums.

Images from Thinkstock and Wikipedia Commons