Given that the overall car market improved in 2012, as part of the recovery from low levels before, it must be worrying for those brands dropping when most are increasing.

Subaru and Mitsubishi must wonder why they bother - in Subaru's case the poor fuel consumption and lack of diesel automatics plus an indifferent importer must surely mean they'll jack it in soon - shame as they're great cars.

Edited by RT on 07/01/2013 at 20:32

The weak pound and the strong yen haven't helped Japanese car importers - all credit to Toyota for working hard at customer care (unlike Mazda it seems) although they would sell more Aurises if they offered the 1.8 petrol and 2.0 diesel engines in the UK. (And perhaps called it the Corolla again?)

I wonder where those extra Chrysler sales have come from - surely not those rebadged Lancias?

Sadly, Renault seem to have a death wish - they're now putting a lot of resource into electric cars which I can't see taking off until there is a breakthrough in battery technology to give a better range, or else the technology in the Volt/Ampera becomes a lot cheaper. Both those things will probably happen, but anyone care to guess when?