Pickup market plunges to lowest level since Covid lockdown • Professional Pickup

Pickup registrations have fallen to their lowest monthly level since the Covid lockdown brought the vehicle market almost to a halt in April 2020.

Just 404 new pickups were registered in August 2026, a 61.2% decline from the 1,040 vehicles recorded during the same month last year, and down more than 76% over the average across the previous decade.

The result marks the 11th consecutive month of falling demand and leaves pickups with only 2.8% of the wider light commercial vehicle market.

Not since April 2020 has the monthly total been lower. Only 271 pickups were registered during that month, when dealerships were closed and overall LCV registrations collapsed by 86.2%.

Pickup market more than halves in 2026

The latest monthly decline takes registrations for the first eight months of 2026 to 10,514 units.

That is 55.9% below the 23,839 pickups registered over the equivalent period last year, representing a shortfall of 13,325 vehicles.

July had already delivered the 10th consecutive monthly fall, when registrations dropped by 53.2% to 888 units. August has now more than halved even that depressed monthly volume.

The pickup collapse also contrasts sharply with the wider LCV market, which grew by 0.6% in August and is 4.0% ahead across the year to date.

Large van registrations rose by 5.2% during the month, while the relatively small 4×4 category increased by 165.6%. Pickups were comfortably the worst-performing part of the market.

Double-cab tax changes continue to bite

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders attributes the downturn to the revised tax treatment of double-cab pickups.

Most double-cab models are now treated as cars rather than commercial vehicles for Benefit in Kind and capital allowance purposes. That has removed much of their previous appeal to company vehicle users, even where a pickup is still required for towing, carrying equipment or reaching difficult sites.

The SMMT is calling for the policy to be reconsidered, arguing that pickups remain important to industries including agriculture and construction.

September’s higher-volume market should give a clearer indication of underlying demand, but there is little sign of an imminent recovery.

About
Latest Posts

Phil Huff

Phil Huff, a seasoned automotive journalist since 2011, specialises in new car and van launches for national and regional newspapers, magazines, and online platforms. As the editor of light commercial vehicle publications Professional Van and Professional Pickup, Phil delivers high-quality content for a UK audience of LCV owner-operators and small business users.