Number of new cars licensed up 34.8% in January

The number of new private cars licensed for the first time rose 34.8 per cent to 27,106 in January compared to the same month a year earlier, new figures show

Central Statistics Office (CSO) data show the total number of new vehicles licensed last month was up 34.5 per cent from 23,152 to 31,150. Of these, , 2789 were for new goods vehicles, up 36 per cent compared to the 2,050 registered in the same month in 2015.

The number of previously owned imported cars fell 3.8 per cent on an annual basis to 3,848.

According to the figures, the total numbers of all vehicles licensed - comprising new and previously owned vehicles - was 36,096, up 27.5 per cent to 28,318 in January.

Volkswagen's share of the market for new cars declined from 9.4 per cent to 8.7 per cent in the year to January, following on from revelations about its attempts to rig emissions tests. Toyota remained the most popular car manufacturer in Ireland with 13.5 per cent share last month, down from 14.5 per cent a year earlier. It was responsible for 3,666 of all new cars licensed last month, followed by Hyundai (3,405), Ford (3,351), Volkswagen (2,368) and Nissan (1,925).

The CSO figures usually differ from those issued by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI). The CSO measures the number of cars taxed for the first time while the SIMI figures are based on new registrations issued by the Vehicle Registration Office.