Volkswagen GolfThe Volkswagen Golf was the UK’s best selling car in February, outselling rivals such as the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Nissan Qashqai.

In a market that was 7.7 per cent down on the same month last year, Volkswagen shifted 2,709 Golfs, while the second-placed car, the Vauxhall Corsa, sold 2,617 examples.

February best sellers gallery:

February best sellers gallery
Total sales for the month were 63,424 – February 2010 saw 68,686 cars sold, thanks in part to the success of the scrappage scheme, which accounted for 20 per cent of new car sales.

New car registrations fell for an eighth consecutive month in February, but thanks in part to the new registration on 1 March, it’s a month that typically accounts for just three per cent of annual sales.

With fleet purchases accounting for 60 per cent of new car sales last month, it’s no surprise that diesel cars proved especially popular – there was a 50/50 split between petrol and diesel models.

Despite the overall fall in new car sales, many volume car makers saw double-digit increases year on year, including Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Honda, Mercedes, MINI, Nissan, Saab, Subaru and Vauxhall.

Biggest losers were Chevrolet, Fiat, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Volvo, which were all between 20 and 50 per cent down, year on year.

The ten best sellers in February were:

•    Volkswagen Golf: 2,709
•    Vauxhall Corsa: 2,617
•    Ford Focus: 2,483
•    Ford Fiesta: 2,404
•    Vauxhall Astra: 2,036
•    Vauxhall Insignia: 1,842
•    Vauxhall Zafira: 1,705
•    Volkswagen Polo: 1,570
•    Nissan Qashqai: 1,367
•    Vauxhall Meriva: 1,367

The best sellers year-to-date are:

•    Ford Focus: 10,065
•    Ford Fiesta: 8,248
•    Vauxhall Corsa: 6,980
•    Volkswagen Golf: 6,819
•    Vauxhall Astra: 6,546
•    Volkswagen Polo: 4,580
•    Vauxhall Insignia: 4,078
•    BMW 3-Series: 4,038
•    Nissan Qashqai: 3,475
•    Vauxhall Zafira: 3,343

By Richard Dredge