Confused by new car registration plate changes?
Are you confused by new car registration plate changes? With so many DVLA changes to the number plate system over recent years, it is no surprise that many people do not know how to tell what the year of a car on the road is by its number plate.
Guide to new car registration plate changes over the next three years:
16 from March 2016 - 66 from September 2016
17 from March 2017 - 67 from September 2017
18 from March 2018 - 68 from September 2018
Check our great savings for your new 17 plate car, save over thousands without haggling
You should also be aware of significant road tax changes for cars registered after April 2017 that hit some cars by over £2,000
To make it clear the DVLA now have two plate changes a year and these take place:
March through to August - the number plate represents the year e.g. cars produced in 2017 with have a '17' plate.
September through to February - the number plate represents the year prefixed by a six for September e.g. cars produced from September 2017 until February 2018 will have a '67' plate.
In 2001 the DVLA updated the number plate system for the UK. Which means there are now 2 changes a year. And with September quickly approaching, a new round of cars are about to be available for you to buy. Before we look at few of the cars coming to the UK here’s a quick round up of how the UK registration system works.
All standard UK registration plates are made up of seven characters. Divided into a 4 and 3 set. The first 4 are made up of, an area code and an age identifier. As mentioned above the age identifier works in 2 rounds for each year. From March to September that is the year. From September to February it is the year with the five added to the first number. The second half of the registration is a unique set that distinguishes each car that might have a matching area code and age.
This method of identifying has multiple uses. Including being able to narrow down certain cars based on location. The age identifier system of the registration also has such awareness that many car dealers utilise it instead of the actual year to advertise the car.
Below is an example number plate showing the specific sections. Read on for a preview of the great cars you will be able to get on a ’66 plate from September.
Alfa Romeo Giulia
Owning an Alfa is a rite of passage for petrol heads. Their looks, sound and overall driving experience make them a unique experience. Where they were once upon a time laughed at for being unreliable, they are now known for reliability. The Giulia range is ideal for those wishing for the great looks, but not the Quadrifoglio’s bonkers power output.
The due date on the Alfa was reportedly pushed back to allow for time to get a 5 star NCAP rating. Expect the car to have various specs but at a starting price of £29,180 RRP, you can’t go too far wrong for a piece of Italian craftsmanship.
Alfa Romeo Giulia - image from alfaromeopress.co.uk
Audi Q2
Audi already have a large number of crossovers in their range. The Q2 is a competitor for the likes of the Nissan Juke or more premium crossovers such as the BMW X1. With the Audi pedigree this is a challenge that they will be looking to win.
It holds true to the styling that has been prevalent from Audi over the past few years and is likely to have an RRP of £22,380. The Q2 comes as two wheel drive as standards but has the famous Quattro system available for those looking for the 4WD experience.
Volvo S90
Long gone are the days of Volvo’s being boxes on wheels. The last 5 years have seen some of the most attractive cars coming from Volvo. The C30 being a perfect example of the Swedish manufacturers moving towards the stylish end of the car market.
This however hasn’t meant a drop in the quality of the vehicles produced by Volvo. The S90 continues this trend. It has the same underpinnings as the XC90 and this allows for all the safety tech of a big SUV while holding a more refined cabin space. The S90 is available with a wide range of engine specs including the T8 which is a plug in hybrid and should only produce 44g/km of CO2. This should mean a low road tax cost if not completely exempt.
New Volvo S90 - From www.media.volvocars.com/uk/en-gb
Ford KA+
The ever reliable car manufacturer is upgrading their base model car this year. The KA has now been in production for 2 decades. As part of Ford’s new small car strategy the KA+ is replacing the KA city car.
The new KA+ is almost as big as the Fiesta and uses many of its big brother’s components. The company believes that it will attract its customers by providing a starting price of £9,000. And, based on looks it might just succeed.
AutoeBid
All of the prices mentioned above are the retail prices at time of writing. Keep an eye out on our website to find the great prices on all of these new cars. We are constantly adding new cars to our range of great deals. Keep checking back for the latest offers to find yourself the car of your dreams for a fraction of the price.
Through AutoeBid you can simply specify the delivery date you want your new car by and if the delivery date is from September 2016 it will be on the new '66' plate that applies to any cars registered from that date.