Registrations of new cars fell by 10.4% last month, new figures show.
Industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said 120,331 new cars were registered in the UK in April.
That compares with 134,274 during the same month last year.
The SMMT attributed the decline to a number of factors, including changes to vehicle excise duty rules.
Electric vehicles lost their exemption to VED on April 1.
This caused many “shrewd” buyers to make their purchases before the deadline, the SMMT said.
The late timing of Easter this year also meant there were fewer working days in April compared with the same month in 2024.
Uptake of pure battery electric new cars grew by 8.1% in April, reaching a market share of 20.4%, up from 16.9% a year earlier.
Under the zero emission vehicle (Zev) mandate, at least 28% of new cars sold by each manufacturer in the UK this year must be zero emission, which generally means pure electric.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes described the overall performance of the new car market in April as “disappointing but expected” after the 12.4% year-on-year growth in March when new registration plates were released.
He said: “Another month of growth for electric vehicle registrations is good news, however, even if demand remains well below ambition.
“Recent Government adjustments to flexibilities and compliance within the Zev mandate are welcome and an important first step in relieving some of the pressure on the market and manufacturers.
“However, EV uptake is still being heavily and unsustainably subsidised by the industry, which is why a compelling package of measures from Government is essential if consumers are going to make the switch.”
