New Car Registrations reach almost 100,000, even with a reduction in May sales

Official statistics released today by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) show that new car registrations for the month of May were down -6%(6,532) compared to May 2015 (6,919) while total new car sales are up 23% (99,740) on the same period last year (80,889).

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), are currently up 8% (1,839) on May 2015 (1,705) and year to date are up 27% (17,561) overall. While Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) registrations, are also up 38% for the month of May (307) 2016 compared to the same month last year (222), and are up 53% year to date.

Commenting on the figurers SIMI Director General Alan Nolan said “After three years of sustained growth year on year the Industry took a pause for breath in May this year. The new shape of seasonality in the Industry is settling-in with the sector now beginning to turn its focus on the 162 period for new car sales.  Since the introduction of the dual registration plate system, the percentage of new car registrations occurring in the second half of the year has been increasing year on year from 14% in 2011 to 34% last year. This new shape to the year does give dealers a better opportunity to focus on used car sales at this stage in the year to help clear the decks in anticipation of the next key sales period for new cars. The overall registration numbers are very strong and set the Industry on course for the best registration numbers in over seven years. While many manufacturers have started their 162 campaign offerings early, the Industry is still open for business on new as well as used cars in the remaining weeks of the 161 period so consumers can take advantage of attractive deals still to be had in June, so as always our advice is to get out there and shop around!, particularly with the Drogheda and Wexford Motor Shows taking place next weekend”.

Registrations have reached almost 100,000 in the first 5 months of this year which is the highest recorded sales for this time frame in the past 7 years. The increased growth in registrations, for commercial vehicles, in the month of May and year to date also demonstrates that business confidence remain strong.
Stats in short:
• New car sales year to date (2016) 99,740- (2015) 80,889 +23%
• New car sales total May (2016) 6,532 – (2015) 6,919 -6%
• Car Sales by county year to date click here to download
• 5 Top Selling Makes for the Year 2016:
1 Volkswagen
2 Toyota
3 Hyundai
4 Ford
5 Nissan
• 5 Top Selling Models for the Year 2016
1 Hyundai Tuscon
2 Volkswagen Golf
3 Ford Focus
4 Skoda Octavia
5 Nissan Qashqai
• Top selling car for the month of May Volkswagen Golf
• Top selling colour for the month of May is  Black
• Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2016) 17,561-(2015) 13,858 +27%
• Light Commercial Vehicles sales total May (2016) 1,839-(2015) 1,705 +8%
• Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (206) 1686 (2015) 1103 +53%
• Heavy Goods Vehicle sales May total (2016) 307 (2015) 222 +38%

Year to date

Passenger Cars by County
County 2016 Units 2015 Units % Change 2016 % Share 2015 % Share
Carlow 1214 1000 21.4% 1.22% 1.24%
Cavan 1098 915 20% 1.1% 1.13%
Clare 2288 1850 23.68% 2.29% 2.29%
Cork 12968 10082 28.63% 13% 12.46%
Donegal 2478 1908 29.87% 2.48% 2.36%
Dublin 38131 31537 20.91% 38.23% 38.99%
Galway 4003 3362 19.07% 4.01% 4.16%
Kerry 2258 1781 26.78% 2.26% 2.2%
Kildare 4080 3445 18.43% 4.09% 4.26%
Kilkenny 1976 1587 24.51% 1.98% 1.96%
Laois 1309 1015 28.97% 1.31% 1.25%
Leitrim 436 382 14.14% 0.44% 0.47%
Limerick 3700 2948 25.51% 3.71% 3.64%
Longford 496 431 15.08% 0.5% 0.53%
Louth 2258 1839 22.78% 2.26% 2.27%
Mayo 1952 1652 18.16% 1.96% 2.04%
Meath 3191 2444 30.56% 3.2% 3.02%
Monaghan 882 684 28.95% 0.88% 0.85%
Offaly 1316 1013 29.91% 1.32% 1.25%
Roscommon 1008 727 38.65% 1.01% 0.9%
Sligo 938 733 27.97% 0.94% 0.91%
Tipperary 2949 2464 19.68% 2.96% 3.05%
Waterford 2574 2037 26.36% 2.58% 2.52%
Westmeath 1523 1313 15.99% 1.53% 1.62%
Wexford 2470 1918 28.78% 2.48% 2.37%
Wicklow 2244 1822 23.16% 2.25% 2.25%

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