How to save up to £11,000 on brand new BMWs, Volkswagens and Nissans ahead of the new 21 registration

Car dealers are offering up to 20 per cent off some brand new models as they try to shift stock ahead of next month’s registration mark change.

Major brands including BMW, Volkswagen, Vauxhall, Renault and Nissan are offering between £2,000 and £11,000 off popular models as they try to boost sales during a difficult trading period.

New car registrations were down almost 40 per cent in January 2021 as dealers were once again hit hard by lockdown restrictions which forced them to close their showrooms. Due to the limitations, dealers are increasingly using online sales methods and click and collect deliveries to continue operating but they are still struggling to drum up business.

Ahead of the new “21” plate roll out in March, What Car?’s target price service has identified some of the biggest cash savings available to customers through its buying service.

Among the biggest savings are £11,385 off a BMW 5 Series, equivalent to a saving of 21 per cent. Buyers can save a similar 20 per cent on the price of a new Volkswagen Passat, with the German brand willing to knock £6,000 off the list price of its large saloon.

Reductions of more than 19 per cent on the Renault Kadjar and Nissan Qashqai mean buyers can save more than £4,000 on the cost of the popular SUVs ahead of the arrival of the new “21” plate.

Data gathered by What Car?’s mystery shoppers show that manufacturers are offering an average discount of 6.78 per cent - £2,773. Seat is offering the biggest reductions across its whole range, with an average discount of 13.78 per cent but premium brands including Volvo and Audi are both also offering above average discounts.

Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: “With showrooms closed, online retail is helping drive sales at the moment. Our latest analysis shows 45 per cent of new car buyers say they would be comfortable buying their next car entirely online, and retailers are clearly looking to attract buyers through generous discounts. There are great deals to be had on new cars, even if buyers can’t head to the showrooms just yet.”

Top 12 Target Price cash savings

Make	Model	Trim	OTR	% Cash Saving	TP Cash Saving
BMW	5 Series	530d MHT xDrive M Sport 4dr Auto	£54,260	21.42%	£11,385
Volkswagen	Passat	1.5 TSI R Line 4dr	£30,515	20.51%	£6,073
Renault	Kadjar	1.3 TCE Iconic 5dr	£24,695	19.50%	£4,637
Nissan	Qashqai	1.3 DiG-T N-Connecta [Glass Roof Pack] 5dr	£25,425	19.18%	£4,824
Citroën	C1	1.0 VTi 72 Sense 3dr	£12,095	17.25%	£1,923
Seat	Ibiza	1.0 SE [EZ] 5dr	£16,445	16.58%	£2,689
Citroën	Grand C4 Spacetourer	1.2 PureTech 130 Live 5dr EAT8	£28,105	16.50%	£4,417
Volkswagen	Golf Estate	1.5 TSI Life 5dr	£25,175	16.01%	£3,891
Citroën	C3 Aircross	1.2 PureTech 110 Rip Curl 5dr	£20,550	15.75%	£3,078
Vauxhall	Grandland X	1.6 Hybrid4 300 Elite Nav 5dr Auto	£44,370	15.32%	£6,681
Suzuki	Sx4 S-Cross Hatchback	1.4 Boosterjet 48V Hybrid SZ-T 5dr	£24,249	13.80%	£3,250
Renault	Clio	1.0 TCe 90 Play 5dr	£16,595	13.50%	£2,122