British drivers still love a new number plate

On 1 September, I’ll be driving to work with my eyes on stalks, eager to spot my first new-reg 75-plate car before I finish my morning coffee. It’s a biannual event – or annual, depending on how far you rewind – that I’ve enjoyed since I was a child, and the enthusiasm is yet to falter.

There’s something about seeing a brand-new car with that glossy, perfectly printed Perspex on its nose just hours after it left the showroom. And if I know our readers at all, I’m sure I’ll not be the only one who’ll get that tingly feeling on that day.

We may not see the same nationwide hysteria we did in the late eighties or early nineties – the days before competitive car finance became so prolific – but, like it or not, the fact is that sales still surge around the six-monthly plate change.

So while you’ll have to excuse the quite blatant plug, if you’re lucky enough to be in a position to be considering your next new-car purchase, there’s no better place to begin your research than by visiting the Auto Express website. We’ve rounded up the very best cars on sale, across multiple categories – from family hatchbacks to superminis, SUVs and sports cars, estates, executive cars and more, with a selection of EVs and PHEVs thrown in for good measure.

So, kick back with a cuppa and delve into our lists of the very best cars to buy right now. Oh, and make sure to send us snaps of your best 75-plate spots – we’d truly love to see them!

Fancy a 75-plate of your own? Buy a car with Auto Express. Our nationwide dealer network has a huge number of deals to choose from...