Data from Google, based on weekly search volumes, shows that Mercedes has reclaimed top spot ahead of BMW, with both manufacturers trending upwards, while Ford and VW are significantly behind where they were this time last year.

The picture shows that when people are looking for generic manufacturers as their leasing option, the majority want German reliability in the form of Mercedes and BMW. The recent emission scandals at Volkswagen may be behind the widening gap between VW and their compatriots, while the fall in interest in Ford is surprising.

Evoque and A-Class Trending

When we look at the specific vehicles people are searching for, we see a different picture, with the year-long dominance of the hugely popular Evoque coming to an end.

Since January, the Range Rover Evoque has been by some distance the most popular lease vehicle, but a recent fall in search volumes means that the A-Class has caught up, with the Kia Sportage a surprising third.

Tano Di Girolamo, Managing Director of Fulton Leasing, commented: “We’ve also seen very strong interest in the Range Rover Evoque here at Fulton, particularly with the offers that we’re able to take to market. It’s interesting to see the pick-up in volumes for the A-Class, and that seems to be in line with the deals that are available, particularly for business users. It’s also great to see the Kia Sportage in the top 5, because it’s a really affordable and reliable family car that has taken on the likes of the Qashqai.”