Newly released SMMT data shows that new car registrations rose 7% in November to 159,581 units. Fleet registrations were up 3.4% on November 2012’s figure of 77,331 units, with 79,968 units registered last month.

The sub-25 business sector also saw growth, with registrations up 3.1% from 6,533 units to 6,733 units.

However, the strongest growth was seen again in private registrations, which rose 11.6% last month from 65,327 to 72,880 units.

For the year to date, a total of 2,111,819 cars have been registered, up 9.9% and already ahead of the 2012 full-year figure of 2,044,609. Fleet registrations are up 4.3% from 958,541 units to 1,000,066 units. Strong growth was again seen in private registrations, which are up 15.4% for the first 11 months of the year from 878,460 units to 1,013,548 units. But the highest percentage growth was seen in the sub-25 business sector, with registrations up 16.8% from 84,051 to 98,205 units.

‘Motorists have bought more than two million cars so far in 2013, a tremendous success for the industry on the back of buoyant consumer confidence and innovative new products,’ said Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive. ‘With the UK economy looking increasingly positive, we can expect strong underlying demand for new cars to continue into 2014, with volumes set to match or surpass those seen this year.’