The number of new private cars on the road has fallen by 10.2 per cent. According to figures from the Central Statistics Office 45,469 new cars were taxed for the first time between January and April, compared with 50,655 for the same four-month period last year. Figures for April show a drop of 16 per cent on the same month last year.
Toyota tops the ranks in terms of brands, with 6,147 new private cars licensed for the first time, followed by Volkswagen with 5,698, Ford with 4,792 and Nissan with 3,945. At the premium end of the market 1,929 new Audis were taxed for the first time, compared with 1,814 BMWs and 1,037 Mercedes-Benz.
Aside from the new cars licensed, 12,771 imported used cars were taxed in Ireland for the first time, with Ford being the favourite used import brand, responsible for 2,110 of these, followed by 1,805 Volkswagens and 1,281 Audis.