56 plate vehicles have hit forecourts throughout the UK this week, yet are they generating the kind of fervour for buying new cars that many experts predicted? Is the demand for new cars falling?

Several recent surveys indicate that public demand for new cars in the UK is declining, as many over-stretched people opt for second-hand vehicles . The cost of living just keeps getting higher, with gas and electricity price hikes the least of concerns for the people hit by increased mortgage repayments following the recent interest rate increase.

Strong evidence comes from the quarterly car buying index from AA personal loans, a document that looks at demand throughout the UK. The research involved 12,000 people over the course of a year and looked at their car buying intentions.

All of their figures indicate that car buyers are looking for second-hand vehicles and cheaper car finance repayments. Ways to save money were recorded as the priority for most UK car buyers.