The car you’re most likely to have in your area – from Range Rover to BMW | UK | News
Wealthy residents of Chelsea are the most likely to own a Land Rover in the UK, according to official records.
DVLA figures show why SUVs such as Land Rover’s luxury brand Range Rovers are dubbed “Chelsea Tractors” and reveal where people are most likely to park the likes of BMW, Mercedes, Ford and Skoda in their cars.
Prestigious brands such as Mercedes, BMW, Lexus and Tesla are more likely to be owned by people living in London. Outside the capital, the places where you’re most likely to see a Fiat are in Wales; Hondas are most commonly found in Scotland and the Northern Irish seem to have a penchant for Peugeots.
Brands such as Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan and Volvo are all the most popular in the north of England; Vauxhalls and Fords are concentrated around their traditional production bases in Luton and Dagenham.
DVLA data reveals which parts of the country have the highest proportion of privately owned cars of all makes, broken down by postcode. Stanford-le-Hope in Essex is near Ford’s engine factory in Dagenham, where 30% of the cars are Ford. Nearby Canvey Island and Wickford are just a few points behind.
When it comes to luxury cars, BMWs will mostly be found in three areas of London to the east of the capital, Gants Hill, Canary Wharf and Whitechapel. Mercedes will be more present in the center of the capital, with the highest percentage in South Kensington.
By the way, the Lexus brand is most popular in Golders Green. Volkswagens are mostly found in the Bradford area, Nissans around Newcastle, Volvos near York, Kias near Manchester and Skodas in Shropshire.
Money-conscious residents of the remote Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides are most willing to drive with the affordable Dacia brand.
James Ruppert, editor of Free Car Mag, said: “For the most part, car owners buy what they can afford, and people who can afford to live in Chelsea buy the fanciest vehicles, no matter how suitable they are for the conditions.
“He used to have a Mini but it was expensively customized. That doesn’t seem to happen anymore. Land Rovers and Range Rovers dominate the ULEZ London’s pavements and parking spaces.
“Cars for people are clearly VW, Kias and Skoda, affordable and practical for those who get on with the business of using cars as intended rather than worrying about how they look to others.
“The same goes for the good people and Dacias of the Isle of Lewis, who need a vehicle that can thrive in hostile conditions for no other purpose than to get the driver and passengers from point A to point B.”
He added: “It is interesting that there is such a commitment to locally produced products. I wonder how long this will last for the areas surrounding the long-closed Dagenham factories and the recently closed Luton factory.”
