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Hyundai Takes the Lion's Share in UK Scrapping Bonus

There's no doubt the government incentives help automakers around the world boost their sales but in the United Kingdom, the battle is getting fiercer with every new day. Hyundai has managed to take the pole in this competition, closely followed by Ford, Toyota and Kia, figures published by Reuters reveal. Basically, Britons are more attracted by small cars now that the government is offering scrapping bonuses, so Hyundai's i10 has turned into a best-seller.

The UK government is offering up to 2,000 pounds to those who are willing to trade in their old car and buy a new and greener vehicle. Official figures are claiming that new car orders have reached 60,000 since April 22 when the government officially rolled out the incentives scheme.

"With the scrappage discount on top you can get a brand new i10 for less than 5,000 pounds," a Hyundai spokeswoman said.

Specifically, Hyundai has received 8,246 orders following the scrapping programme, while Ford came second with 7,800 orders. Toyota was the third with 7,800, followed by Kia Motors with 7,300 and Volkswagen with 4,591. Surprisingly, Mazda, one of the manufacturers who praises its small cars' fuel efficiency every once in a while is only at the bottom of the chart, with only 1,355 orders received following the scrapping bonus.

"What we've seen in the scrappage schemes that were implemented across Europe is that there's a tendency to buy smaller cars," a spokesman for the UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) commented on the figures. "It might be because of the gas mileage or the lower CO2 emissions that are attached to those cars and also the lower price," he added.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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