Registrations of new cars declined to 209,190, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said today in an e-mailed statement. The figure was 4 per cent below the average June sales figure since 1999 of 217,966 vehicles.
"We are now seeing concerns about rising fuel bills and household costs dampening consumer confidence," SMMT Chief Executive Officer Paul Everitt said in the statement.
Consumers are switching to cleaner models to avoid higher fuel expenses and cut carbon emissions, Everitt said, with record sales in the least-polluting categories.