The UK pickup market suffered another heavy blow in March, with registrations down 54.0% to just 3,732 units, according to the latest figures from the SMMT. The trade body says the sector is still being hit by last year’s decision to treat double-cab pickups as cars for Benefit in Kind and capital allowance purposes.

The March collapse means pickup registrations are now down 54.8% over the first quarter of 2026, with just 5,751 new models registered so far this year. That is 6,967 fewer than in the same period last year.

Despite the wider slowdown, the monthly registration table still showed where demand remains concentrated, with the usual core models dominating the segment. The Ford Ranger remained the UK’s best-selling pickup in March with 2,094 registrations, although that was down 51.3% from 4,301 in the same month last year.

While the wider light commercial vehicle market was down a more modest 3.4% in March, the pickup sector was by far the biggest weak spot. Large vans actually grew by 8.7%, and medium vans rose by 2.3%, underlining just how sharply pickups have dropped away.

The SMMT says the problem is the tax treatment now facing many double-cab models. Since last April’s changes, fleet renewal has been discouraged because many pickups are now treated as cars for company car tax and capital allowance purposes, even though they continue to be used by builders, farmers and other working operators.

According to the SMMT, the current rules risk keeping older, more polluting vehicles on the road for longer because businesses are put off replacing them with new models. The organisation is once again urging the government to reverse the Benefit in Kind change, arguing that the current approach is hurting demand and reducing Treasury receipts rather than helping modernise the market.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said the weak March result was “deeply concerning” and reflected poor business confidence more broadly. For pickup buyers, though, the more immediate issue is that the market is still living with the consequences of a tax decision that has made many double-cabs significantly less attractive as business purchases.

None of this will come as much of a surprise. The demand is still there for vehicles that can tow 3.5 tonnes, carry a tonne, and work hard on and off road. What has changed is the tax environment around them, and the latest figures suggest that change is continuing to do real damage.

Phil Huff
Latest posts by Phil Huff (see all)
Published on