VEHICLE production in the UK fell to its lowest level since 1952 last year, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
A total of 764,715 vehicles were built in 2025, down 15.5 per cent from 2024. Most of these were cars, with 717,371 produced, around 60,000 fewer than the previous year, reported the BBC.
Output remains far below recent highs, with 1.7 million cars produced as recently as 2016.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes told the BBC that 2025 had been “the toughest year in a generation”. He pointed to a cyberattack at Jaguar Land Rover, the closure of Vauxhall’s Luton plant and uncertainty over US trade policy as key factors.
Production was disrupted in September after a cyberattack forced Jaguar Land Rover to shut down its computer systems, halting factory operations for more than a month. Output took time to return to normal.
The industry was also affected by trade developments. Around 78 per cent of UK-built cars are exported, leaving manufacturers exposed to disruption.
US president Donald Trump announced tariffs on car imports in April, leading some firms to limit shipments. While a deal later removed the risk of higher levies, the tariff on UK cars exported to the US rose from 2.5 per cent to 10 per cent, affecting sales.
Commercial vehicle production fell 62 per cent to 47,344 units, largely due to the closure of Vauxhall’s Luton factory in March. Parent company Stellantis is consolidating van production at Ellesmere Port.
The SMMT expects output to improve, with car production forecast to rise by 10 per cent this year as new electric models enter production. Hawes said there is a “pathway” to producing more than 1 million vehicles a year by 2027.
However, he warned that EU proposals favouring “Made in Europe” vehicles could pose a “significant threat” to the UK industry.
