Vehicle production in the UK fell 15.5% last year as uncertainty over tariffs and the cyber-attack at JLR added to a “tough year for auto”. However, car production showed signs of recovery, rising 17.7% to 53,003 units in the final month of the year, ending four months of decline. Over the year, car production for the UK market fell by 8.2% to 161,545 units while exports declined 7.9% to 555,826 units, accounting for 77.5% of output. With the start of next-generation Leaf EV production in Sunderland, and the planned launch of seven new EV models across the UK, output is expected to grow in 2026. The latest independent production outlook expects overall UK car production to return to growth, with output set to rise by more than 10% to some 790,000 units in 2026.