September’s 75-plate changeover delivered a bumper month for leasing. Fleet & business channels (the core of the lease market) took 55.7% of all registrations, so the SMMT’s model chart is a strong proxy for the most-leased cars. Here’s the scoreboard.
Top 10 models by UK registrations (a proxy for lease demand), September 2025
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Kia Sportage — 9,455
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Ford Puma — 8,310
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Nissan Qashqai — 7,218
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Jaecoo 7 — 6,489
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Vauxhall Corsa — 5,841
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BYD Seal U — 5,373
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Hyundai Tucson — 5,348
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MG HS — 5,173
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Volkswagen Golf — 5,147
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Volvo XC40 — 4,942.
Three quick takeaways
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Crossovers rule leasing. The top of the table is dominated by compact SUVs (Sportage, Puma, Qashqai, Tucson, XC40) — exactly where manufacturers are funnelling support, keeping rentals keen.
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EVs had a record month. BEV registrations hit 72,779 (23.3% share) — the highest monthly volume on record — helped by broader model choice and the Electric Car Grant. PHEVs grew 56.4% year-on-year.
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New names are surging. BYD made headlines with a near tenfold UK sales jump in September, while Jaecoo 7 broke into the top five — both now very relevant in the lease market where value drives uptake.
Why this matters for Players Cars customers
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Sharper rates in the ‘sweet spot’: Expect the keenest rentals on the best-supported crossovers above.
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More EV value: Record EV volumes generally correlate with stronger manufacturer support and improved delivery times.
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Broader choice: Emerging brands (e.g., BYD, Jaecoo) are pushing competitive specs and pricing — ideal for value-led personal and business contract hire.
Method note: The UK doesn’t publish a single, official “most-leased” model list each month. We use SMMT registration data — where fleets/businesses account for the majority — as the most accurate monthly proxy for lease demand, cross-checked against multiple industry sources.