Market uncertainty around diesel engines and Brexit could lead to a “jump” in leasing, as private and business customers look to mitigate against near-future risk, according to Aral UK.

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The company said there had been a progressive move towards leasing in the UK, but that this had been amplified during periods of economic uncertainty, because fixes costs and removes the financial worries around owning the car.

Shaun Sadlier, head of consultancy, said the UK might be on course for another sizeable increase in uptake: “We are at a point in time where there are significant risk factors hanging over vehicle values in the future. The potential impact of Brexit on the wider economy, which remains an unknown, will be hanging over us for quite some time to come.

“Equally important, if not more so, is the developing fuel situation. We have seen quite a sudden shift away from diesel in the overall new car market, if not to the same extent in fleet. It is difficult to say how this trend will develop. How will the public view diesels, petrols and hybrids in three or four years, and how will this affect their values?”