U.S., Jan. 6 -- The number of new cars sold in Britain last year fell to its lowest since 2013, as consumers held back from purchases amid increased restrictions on diesel vehicles and ongoing economic uncertainty in the run-up to Brexit.

Britain is Europe's second-largest market for new vehicles, and Monday's figures add to signs that households grew more cautious about their spending last year, despite low unemployment and rising wages, reports Reuters.

New car registrations dropped by 2% in 2019 to 2.31 million, according to provisional data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the third annual fall since sales peaked at 2.69 million in 2016.

"Undoubtedly consumer confidence on big-ticket items is still very w...