New car sales surge 7.6% in UK

The Ford Fiesta leads the top 10 best-selling new cars in January in the UK.

The surge in new car sales in Britain has continued into the new year.

There were 154,562 new vehicles registered last month, a 7.6 per cent rise on January last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.

The society said sales of alternatively fuelled vehicle increased by 25 per cent.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: "The new car market ended 2013 on a high, so it is encouraging to see the January market start the year strongly.

"As fuel economy is a major consideration for many motorists, ongoing investment by vehicle manufacturers in innovative, fuel-efficient technology is a key factor in the growing demand for new cars. Looking ahead, the UK automotive industry expects to see moderate, sustainable growth in 2014."

These were the best-selling models in the UK in January 2014:

1. Ford Fiesta

2. Ford Focus

3. Vauxhall Corsa

4. Volkswagen Golf

5. Volkswagen Polo

6. Vauxhall Astra

7. Audi A3

8. Nissan Qashqai

9. Nissan Juke