Record number of women car owners

The number of cars registered to women has surged by more than a fifth (21%) since 2007, according to new research.

Females now own more than a third (11.8m) of the 34.7 million cars on UK roads.

New Motorparc data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows the changing face of Britain’s cars – and their keepers.

For instance, automatic gearboxes are now fitted to 8.4 million cars – about one in four quarter – up 70.5% since 2007.

The study also reveals the diversity of British car ownership, with some 1,500 model ranges and 65,000 different model specifications, compared with 1,200 and 56,000 10 years ago.

More than a fifth (22.5%) of cars on UK roads were less than three years old in 2017, helping improve air quality and CO2 emissions with the latest low emission technology.

Smaller cars still make up the vast bulk of car sales, taking a 62.3% market share in 2017, up from 60% in 2007.

However, the most dramatic shift has been in the rise of dual-purpose cars – or SUVs. Their number has increased more than 90% during the past decade with some 3.5 million on the road in 2017, representing 10.2% market share, up from 6.1% in 2007.

Did you know?

• In 2017 the UK’s most popular cars were the Ford Fiesta (1.5m), followed by the Ford Focus (1.4m) and Vauxhall Corsa (1.2m). This compares with a top three in 2007 of the Ford Fiesta (1.3m), followed by the Vauxhall Astra (1.2m) and Vauxhall Corsa (1.1m).
• Many of the top selling cars from the eighties are still going strong today, including 2,089 Ford Sierras, 506 Vauxhall Cavaliers and 228 Austin Maestros.
• Birmingham has the most pure electric and plug-in cars in the country – 8.7% of the national total.
• There are just 582 cars on the Isles of Scilly.
• Worcester has more British-built cars on the roads than anywhere else, while Bridgend has the fewest.
• Milton Keynes is home to the greatest number of specialist sports cars, including brands such as Aston Martin and McLaren.
• Looking at unusual colours, Leicester has the highest amount of pink cars in the country.