New '24' plate launch: why you might now want to consider a Tesla
With the ‘24’ car number plate available from 1 March, new car registrations are set to surge.
Vehicle registration plates get updated in March and September each year, and they're by far the biggest months for new car sales. According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 15% of all new car registrations last year took place in March.
But if you’re after a good deal on a new car, is now a good time to even consider buying?
Read on to discover the popular models that have seen price swings (up and down) between February 2023 and February 2024.
Get our expert tips on how to buy the best new car
Mixed picture for new car prices
Each month, we track and update the prices for all our new and used car reviews. These prices take average manufacturer or dealer discounts into account, giving you a realistic idea of how much you can expect to pay for the base model of each car.
Our pricing data shows that, on average, new car prices have actually remained fairly static over the past 12 months. However, as always, there are some anomalies with some cars seeing big price hikes and others falling substantially. In the graph below, we've picked out some models that caught our eye (keep reading for more on each).
Of course, whether you’re considering buying new or used, price isn't the only factor to consider. Our lab-tested car reviews reveal everything from how each car performed in our hazard avoidance tests to the latest reliability data from the annual Which? car survey.
Looking to fund your next purchase? Find out how to get the best price when selling your car
Tesla Model 3 (2019-): down 18%
February 2023: from £48,490
February 2024: from £39,990
Throughout 2023, Tesla made waves with a number of price cuts to its Model 3 and Model Y cars. In fact, a new Tesla Model 3 is now 18% cheaper to buy compared to the same time last year. The larger Model Y saw a slightly smaller, though still significant drop (13%) over the same period.
Both models have proved incredibly popular globally, and Tesla has sought to increase sales further by cutting list prices to coincide with its new ‘gigafactories’ opening in Germany and the US, which have helped boost production.
Unlike many brands that apply discounts to their models through franchised dealers, Tesla sells all of its new cars directly to customers at fixed prices both online and in its UK showrooms. This approach is also used by Polestar, which has eight ‘spaces’ across the UK where potential customers can experience its cars before buying one.
It’s not unusual for model upgrades to coincide with price hikes – but the opposite is true with Tesla, which gave its Model 3 a significant update in October last year while also slashing the price. UK deliveries of the upgraded Model 3 (featuring a different interior, better exterior aerodynamics and a longer claimed range) started in January 2024.
We’re currently lab-testing the upgraded Model 3 and you’ll be able to read our full review soon, but in the meantime check out our Tesla Model 3 review to see how the earlier versions fared.
Looking to insure your new ride? Find out the best car insurance companies UK for 2024.
Volkswagen Touran (2015-): up 10%
February 2023: from £32,158
February 2024: from £35,462
The long-running Touran was mildly updated in 2023, with more equipment added as standard, including a digital instrument cluster, touch-sensitive climate controls and extra safety kit.
This goes some way to explain the 10% price increase (around £3,500) of the Touran over the past 12 months, but it's still a big hike. Incredibly, the price of a new Touran has increased by 76% since January 2019, according to our data.
Is the price hike worth it? Find out by reading our full Volkswagen Touran review.
Volvo XC90 (2015-): down 7%
February 2023: from £57,416
February 2024: from £53,140
Currently the largest SUV in the Volvo range, the XC90's price fell by 7% (more than £4,000) over the past year, largely due to a number of special offers promoted by Volvo at the start of 2024.
We also saw the price of a new XC90 fluctuate significantly through 2023. This was partly due to Volvo switching to an ‘agency’ sales model in 2023, with the manufacturer controlling the amount a dealer can discount from the car list price. This reduced the amount of competition between dealers looking to offer the lowest possible price for a new car. If this is a car you're interested in, it's worth holding out for when a special offer is running.
Find out what we thought of the car in our full Volvo XC90 review and Volvo XC90 Plug-in Hybrid review.
Citroen C3 (2017-): no change
February 2023: from £13,995
February 2024: from £13,995
Unlike the other cars we've featured, the C3 caught our eye due to it remaining the same price over the past year.
In fact, the entry-level C3 You! has been at this price since Citroen launched it in 2022 as an online-only purchase. It’s also now one of the cheapest cars available new in the UK.
We’ve reviewed the Citroen's C3. To find out how it fared in our tests, read our full review.
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