Mayo motor dealers enjoying a strong 2025

Motor dealers in Mayo are enjoying a buoyant 2025 with sales of new vehicles increasing by almost seven per cent in the first nine months of the year.

The latest figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) revealed that 2,128 new vehicles were registered in Mayo up to the end of September, an increase of 6.98% on the same period last year when 1,190 new vehicles were registered.

In neighbouring Galway, motor dealers have also seen a healthy rise in the sale of new vehicles, from 4,600 in the first nine months of 2024 to 5,040 for the same period in 2025, an increase of 9.57%. However, it is a very different story in the rest of Connacht, with counties Roscommon and Leitrim both recording declines in the sale of new vehicles while Sligo remains static. 

In Co Roscommon, there were 1,074 new cars registered in the first nine months of the year compared to 1,095 for the same period last year, a drop of 1.92%. Motor dealers in Sligo sold 1,165 new vehicles up to September 30 last compared to 1,156 in the first nine months of 2024, a marginal increase of 0.78%. The smallest car market in the country is in Co Leitrim where 460 new vehicles have been registered so far this year, a drop of 3.36% from the same period last year when 476 new vehicles were registered.

Nationally, there have been 121,693 new vehicle registrations in the first nine months of the year compared to 117,355 for the same period last year, an increase of 3.7%. Motor dealers across the country enjoyed a strong sales period in September with new vehicle registrations increasing to 5,629 from 5,126 in September 2024, a rise of 9.8%. 

Light commercial vehicles (LCVs) increased by 7.5% to 2,169 in September compared to the same month a year ago when 2,018 were sold. So far this year, sales of new LCVs are up 3.1% to 29,747. Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) registrations were up slightly in September to 170 compared to September 2024 when 164 were registered. However, so far this year, sales of new HGVs are down by 8.3% to 2,403.

Imported used cars saw a massive rise in September. Some 7,000 were registered last month compared to 5,116 in September 2024, an increase of 36.8%. Year-to-date imports are up 12.4% to 53,662 compared to 47,737 in the first nine months of 2024.

In September, 1,737 new electric cars (battery electric cars) were registered nationwide, which was 73.2% higher than the 1,003 registrations in September 2024. So far this year, 22,382 new electric cars have been registered, representing a 38.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024, when 16,125 electric cars were registered.

In the new car market share by engine type for 2025, petrol cars continue as the new car market leader at 25.41%, followed by hybrid (petrol electric) at 22.62%, electric at 18.39%, diesel at 17.15%, and plug-in electric hybrid at 14.82%.

In Mayo, EV sales have jumped by 75% from 134 in the first nine months of 2024 to 235 for the same period this year, but EVs still account for just 11% of new vehicle registrations in the county. In Co Roscommon, EVs account for a mere nine per cent of new vehicle registrations.

Across the country, the top-selling car models so far in 2025 are: 1st, Hyundai Tucson; 2nd, Skoda Octavia; 3rd, Kia Sportage; 4th, Toyota Yaris Cross; 5th, Toyota RAV 4.