Your ultimate guide to the best 76-plate deals this September: Our one-stop shop to save thousands on a new car

A new number plate arrives next week, and it could save you thousands on your next motor.Tuesday marks the start of September and the introduction of the new '76' age identifier, succeeding the '26' plates fitted to models registered after March 1.For car dealers, it is one of the most important months of the calendar. And for buyers, it can be one of the best times to bag a bargain.It's a time when manufacturers roll out some of their biggest promotional offers, finance deals and incentives of the year to capitalise on increased showroom footfall.And dealers are typically given more wiggle room to extend discounts if it means luring a customer away from a rival showroom just down the road.But with around 50 brands competing for your cash and a bewildering range of deals, knowing where the biggest savings can be found isn't always easy.Pat Hoy from Insider Car Deals has spent more than two decades analysing new-car prices. His team of mystery shoppers also haggle in showrooms nationwide, uncovering exactly how much buyers can negotiate off sticker prices to reveal where the real bargains are hiding.We've enlisted his expertise and behind-the-scenes industry data to bring you a one-stop guide to getting the best deal on a 76-plate car... Tuesday marks the start of September and the arrival of the '76' plate age identifier. For motorists, this is one of the best times to bag a new-car bargain. Here's our ultimate guide to doing just that Hoy's first piece of advice to motorists actively in the market for a new car is not to hang around.'Salespeople are keener to do deals, especially early on, when they're chasing targets and want to report a bumper September,' he says.'Later, if manufacturers are happy with the volumes they've achieved, that keenness can fade.'He explains that brands use different approaches to provide discounts, though many are leaning heavily on finance contributions to tie drivers into agreements that will typically see them return as customers in three to four years' time.'Cupra weighs its discounts towards PCP deals, with more than £5,000 of deposit contribution available across the range, plus £1,533 from dealers. Hyundai leans the other way: an average dealer discount of £3,298 compared with a finance contribution of £1,514.'But he warns that big discounts are not everything and that drivers need to crunch the numbers, especially if they are financing vehicles.'PCP APRs can have a big impact on the total amount you pay. The market average is 5.4 per cent, yet BMW and Skoda offer 2.9 per cent on selected models, while Vauxhall Astra buyers are being offered big discounts but APRs of 10.9 per cent.'It means some of the best deals are on cars that are not subject to huge price cuts but are available with a lower rate of borrowing.Hoy also says that the 'very best offer' a car salesperson will typically offer a customer is rarely the very lowest they can go.On average, his mystery shoppers secure extra savings worth £1,469 more than buyers who simply accept the initial 'very best offer'.For premium brands, this 'discount gap' extends to £3,137. Join the discussionAre car dealers taking advantage of buyers with complicated deals and hidden costs, or do these discounts really help ordinary people save money?What's your view? Don't overpay for your new car in September Insider Car Deals is an independent new-car pricing service. It mystery-shops franchised dealers across the UK to establish the best discounts that are really available on new cars, rather than the discounts dealers typically offer. The difference between the two is the discount gap.A Personal Deal Sheet covers the buyer's chosen model, showing every discount that applies and a clear target price to aim for when negotiating with dealers.Buyers who would rather not do it themselves can have Insider Car Deals handle the whole process, from choosing the car to agreeing the deal.Anyone who already has a quote can use the sheet to check whether the discount they have been offered is weak, average or strong.With the average Discount Gap at £1,459 (August 2026), the saving usually outweighs the cost of the sheet many times over.Find out more at: insidercardeals.co.ukInsider Car Deals does not sell cars and is not paid by dealers or manufacturers. Its role is to provide independent pricing insight so buyers can avoid overpaying.Every Personal Deal Sheet comes with a money-back guarantee. ARE THE BIGGEST DISCOUNTS ON EVS? As has been the case for several years, electric cars continue to attract the biggest discounts, although the gap to other fuel types has narrowed in the last 12 months.With petrol and diesel prices rising amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, demand for EVs has grown, allowing manufacturers to rein in some of the generous incentives that were previously on offer.The introduction of the Government's Electric Car Grant (ECG), coupled with a growing number of models qualifying for the maximum £3,750 subsidy, has also reduced the need for car makers to fund discounts themselves.Combining the ECG, manufacturer incentives, finance contributions and showroom discounts, the average saving on a new EV in September is around 12 per cent, equivalent to £6,815 per vehicle.That's up slightly from September 2025, when the average reduction on a new electric car stood at £6,548.Hoy believes EV discounting could slow further if the Government follows through with plans to relax electric car sales targets between now and 2030.'Sensible heads are realising that organic demand for EVs just ain't there, and throwing more discount money at them won't really move the dial.'Also, with Andy Burnham signalling that a watering-down of the ZEV mandate may be imminent, manufacturers will have reduced exposure to fines and the prospect of further government support on the horizon.'While EV discounts are becoming less generous, savings on other fuel types are increasing.Hybrid deals are stronger than they were a year ago, averaging 11 per cent, or around £6,000 per vehicle. This should make drivers around £1,000 better off than if they had bought a new hybrid last September.And buyers should still be able to secure roughly 10 per cent off the list price of a new petrol or diesel model. Deals are typically around £500 and £75 stronger respectively than 12 months ago.WHICH BRANDS ARE DISCOUNTING MOST? Seat - 19.1% discountSeat is offering some of the biggest reductions on the market, with average price cuts of 19.1 per cent. The Spanish brand is providing between £2,250 and £4,750 in PCP deposit contributions, plus an extra £500 off in-stock cars until September 14.Insider Car Deals' mystery shoppers managed to negotiate almost £2,000 more off the asking price, although most buyers are unlikely to secure quite as much. Even so, the total saving can reach £5,909 on average. For drivers who want to get the best deal on a new car next month, Seat showrooms should be visited, according to exclusive discount data provided by Insider Car DealsPeugeot - 16.1% discountPeugeot is also offering sizeable reductions, with buyers able to secure an average of 16.1 per cent off list prices.That translates to almost £5,200 off a new car through a combination of manufacturer incentives, PCP contributions, dealer discounts and Government grants available on electric models throughout the month.Skoda - 16% discountSkoda buyers can save more than £6,100 on average, equivalent to 16 per cent off the list price. A large chunk of this comes from PCP deposit contributions worth around £3,000. The brand is also offering an additional £1,000 incentive until the end of August, which could be extended into September.Drivers armed with market data and prepared to haggle may be able to knock a further £2,500 off the asking price.Volkswagen - 16% discountVolkswagen is offering either a £1,000 cash discount or PCP deposit contributions ranging from £3,500 to £7,250 on selected models until September 14.Dealer negotiations can unlock an average additional reduction of £2,329, taking the overall saving to more than £7,000, or around 16 per cent.Cupra - 16% discountSeat's sporty sister brand is also providing generous finance incentives. PCP deposit contributions range from £250 to £7,750 depending on the model, while Hoy says his team of negotiators secured average total reductions of £6,776. That equates to roughly 16 per cent off the sticker price. Insider Car Deals says there is room for negotiation on pricing with Nissan sales staff in September. Its team of expert mystery shoppers can haggle over £3k offNissan - 16% discountNissan is providing average PCP contributions of around £2,000 throughout September. However, the biggest reductions come from negotiating with dealers, with Insider Car Deals managing to knock an average of £3,047 off the purchase price.As a rule of thumb, buyers who negotiate effectively should be able to cut around 16 per cent from the list price.Vauxhall - 15.9% discountAt a manufacturer level, Vauxhall is cutting between £500 and £900 from the price of most models in its range, with the exception of the Frontera. However, the biggest benefit comes in the form of PCP deposit contributions, worth an average of £2,185.Vauxhall dealers have traditionally been flexible on price, though the maximum reduction Insider Car Deals could secure averaged £1,624, suggesting showrooms are driving a harder bargain at present.Toyota - 15.4% discountToyota's September offers are heavily weighted towards PCP deposit contributions, which average £3,472 across its model range. Better still for buyers, many models are available with zero per cent APR finance.There is still room for negotiation, too. Insider Car Deals managed to secure an average additional reduction of £1,627, although typical customers may struggle to achieve the same result.Jeep - 14.9% discountJeep is another brand focusing heavily on finance incentives, with average PCP deposit contributions of £3,544 available to buyers taking out finance.Like sister marque Vauxhall, which is also part of the Stellantis group, dealers appear to have been instructed to hold firm on pricing. As a result, Insider Car Deals could negotiate only a further £1,045 off the remaining balance on average.Audi - 14% discountAudi is one of the brands where buyers could benefit most from using a broker or negotiation service.Insider Car Deals' mystery shoppers secured an average discount of £4,199 from Audi dealers. Combined with finance contributions worth £4,252, that takes the total saving to almost £8,500, equivalent to 14 per cent off the price of a new Audi in the coming weeks.BEST DEALS BY SEGMENT We asked Pat to reveal the three biggest model discounts across six major car segments.Simply scroll to find the style of vehicle you're looking to buy, from small hatchback runarounds to prestige motors, and we can tell you which three are being discounted most with a 76-plate.'It doesn't matter which car segment buyers are looking at, double-digit discounts are routinely available across the board,' Pat says. For drivers looking for a frugal small car, the petrol 208 is a very good option. And it will surely be more enticing in September with discounts of up to 26% Small carsFor those looking for a small, economical petrol supermini that's ideal for city driving or as a second family car for the school run, the Peugeot 208 is currently the most heavily discounted option.The average on-the-road (OTR) price, which includes delivery, registration and number plates, is £25,517. However, Insider Car Deals says buyers could negotiate as much as £6,034 off that figure through a combination of manufacturer incentives, PCP finance contributions and some tough haggling in the showroom.Coincidentally, that also reduces monthly PCP repayments to just £199 over four years at 8.5 per cent APR. Best small car discounts Peugeot 208 petrol - save 26%Average OTR: £25,517Biggest total discount: £6,034PCP: from £199 a month (APR 8.5%)Volkswagen Polo petrol - save 23.4%Average OTR: £25,378Biggest total discount: £5,773 PCP: from £184 a month (APR 8.5%) Hyundai i20 petrol - save 18.7%Average OTR: £23,938Biggest total discount: £4,483PCP: from £195 a month (APR 5.9%) Insider Car Deals says the biggest discount on a petrol family hatchback at the beginning of September is almost 28% off the Vauxhall Astra petrolFamily carsWhile Vauxhall dealers aren't as open as they usually are when it comes to haggling, the brand is firmly within the top 10 manufacturers offering the best deals in September, and the Astra is a prime example of the sizeable savings available.While the typical OTR price for a petrol Astra is £30,578, Insider Car Deals says it can secure £8,323 off that figure through available promotions and some salesperson arm-twisting.That's equivalent to a 27.8 per cent discount. However, PCP APRs are high at 10.9 per cent, meaning monthly finance payments are steeper than you might expect at £285 over 48 months. Best family car discounts Vauxhall Astra petrol - save 27.8%Average OTR: £30,578Biggest total discount: £8,323PCP: from £285 a month (APR 10.9%)Volkswagen Golf petrol - save 25.2%Average OTR: £36,074Biggest total discount: £8.155 PCP: from £244 a month (APR 8.5%) Skoda Scala petrol - save 19.8%Average OTR: £27,773Biggest total discount: £5,173PCP: from £218 a month (APR 6.4%) The biggest discount you can secure on a small SUV across all fuel types in September is for the Nissan Juke hybrid. Manufacturer and dealer discounts can amount to a saving of more than 20% Small SUVs Insider Car Deals identified Nissan as one of the brands whose dealers are most willing to negotiate, and that's certainly true of the hybrid Juke crossover.The average on-the-road (OTR) price is a hefty £31,362, but mystery shoppers managed to secure reductions of £6,350, cutting the cost by 20.6 per cent.With PCP APRs of 5 per cent, monthly repayments start from £240 over a 48-month term. Best small SUV discounts Nissan Juke hybrid - save 20.6%Average OTR: £31,362Biggest total discount: £6,350PCP: from £240 a month (APR 5%)Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid - save 17.2%Average OTR: £32,218Biggest total discount: £5,457 PCP: from £252 a month (APR 6.9%) Renault Captur petrol - save 16.7%Average OTR: £24,495Biggest total discount: £4,200PCP: from £213 a month (APR 5.9%) Manufacturer incentives and dealer discounting can add up to a saving of 22.4% on a new Skoda Karoq on a 76-plate from September 1 Family SUVsSkoda is offering some of the meatiest discounts in September, so it's no surprise to see the Karoq come out on top for the largest family SUV discount.Insider Car Deals says that by taking advantage of all available savings, including tough negotiation, buyers could shave £7,442 off the typical OTR price of £35,512. That's a whopping 22.4 per cent off the sticker price.Over a 48-month PCP term at 6.4 per cent APR, this results in monthly payments of just £258, which isn't bad for a practical family motor. Best family SUV discounts Skoda Karoq petrol - save 22.4%Average OTR: £35,512Biggest total discount: £7,442PCP: from £258 a month (APR 6.4%)Volkswagen Tiguan petrol - save 20.6%Average OTR: £41,785Biggest total discount: £8,216 PCP: from £345 a month (APR 8.5%) Kia Sportage petrol - save 15.9%Average OTR: £35,722Biggest total discount: £5,837PCP: from £312 a month (APR 5.9%) The Skoda Kodiaq hybrid is the large SUV buyers can secure the biggest discounts on in September, Insider Car Deals says Large SUVSSkoda also takes top spot for the biggest saving on a large SUV, this time with the hybrid Kodiaq.The model has a typical on-the-road (OTR) price of £45,828, but Insider Car Deals says buyers could cut that by £8,245 through a combination of finance incentives, manufacturer offers and determined negotiation. That's equivalent to an 18.7 per cent discount.With APRs of around 6.5 per cent across much of the Kodiaq range, monthly PCP repayments can start from as little as £336, making this spacious family SUV more affordable than many buyers might expect. Best large SUV discounts Skoda Kodiaq hybrid - save 18.7%Average OTR: £45,828Biggest total discount: £8,245PCP: from £336 a month (APR 6.5%)BMW X3 hybrid - save 17.2%Average OTR: £62,434Biggest total discount: £10,172PCP: from £405 a month (APR 4.9%) Cupra Terramar hybrid - save 18.7%Average OTR: £47,420Biggest total discount: £7,892PCP: from £405 a month (APR 6.9%) Substantial discounting and low APR rates on EVs make some models very attractive propositions from September 1, including BMW's new iX3 Electric carsIf you're on the hunt for an EV, there are big discounts available across battery-powered models of all sizes.For those in the market for a supermini with zero exhaust emissions, the Peugeot e-208 offers the strongest discounts at up to 27.1 per cent next month. This includes the Government's Electric Car Grant.For those wanting an SUV, the BMW iX3 and Skoda Enyaq will be available with average savings of 23.6 per cent and 20.8 per cent respectively. Best EV discounts Peugeot e-208 - save 27.1%Average OTR: £27,428Biggest total discount: £7,065PCP: from £256 a month (APR 8.5%)BMW iX3 - save 23.6%Average OTR: £45,673Biggest total discount: £9,369 PCP: from £225 a month (APR 2.9%) Skoda Enyaq - save 20.8%Average OTR: £45,287Biggest total discount: £8,604PCP: from £267 a month (APR 2.9%) All finance terms shown are illustrative only and do not constitute an offer or financial advice. Figures are based on manufacturers' published PCP terms and typically assume a 4-year term, 8,000–10,000 miles per year, a 15% customer deposit, and any applicable manufacturer finance contribution unless otherwise stated. A Guaranteed Future Value (GFV) or final payment may be required to keep the vehicle at the end of the agreement. Always request a full written quotation from a supplying dealer before committing to purchase.Total savings, expressed as £ and % values include dealer margin discount, any manufacturer cash saving, any applicable government EV grant, and any finance deposit contribution linked to a PCP offer.Dealer mystery shopping carried out by Insider Car Deals on a representative sample of 64 franchised new-car dealers across the UK between 17.8.26 and 24.8.26. CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST