New car sales are buoyant in Mayo in 2025

Motor dealers in Mayo have enjoyed a buoyant start to 2025 with sales of new vehicles rising by over 6% in the first five months of the year.

There were 1,358 new vehicle registrations in Mayo up to May 31, according to the latest figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI). In the same period last year, 1,279 new vehicles were sold, meaning there has been an increase of 6.18%

The motor trade in Galway has also enjoyed a strong start to the year with sale of new vehicles increasing by 10.32%, from 2,966 in the first five months of 2024 to 3,272 for the same period in 2025. 

However, there has been a less positive story in the rest of Connacht with new vehicle registrations declining in Sligo, Roscommon and Leitrim. In the Yeats County, some 740 new vehicles were sold up to May 31, compared to 745 for the same period last year, a decline of 0.67%. The situation is worse in Co Roscommon where sales have fallen from 730 in the first five months of 2024 to 711 for the same period this year, a drop of 2.6%. In Leitrim, which has the smallest market for car sales in Ireland, sales have dropped from 318 to 306, a fall of 3.77% for the first five months of the year.

Nationally, there were 79,301 new vehicle registrations so far this year compared to 77,461 for the same period in 2024, an increase of 2.4%. However, car registrations for May were down 8.8% to 5,832 compared to May 2024 when 6,398 were sold.

Light commercial vehicles (LCVs) decreased by 1.6% to 1,913 from 1,944 in May 2024. Year to date, LCVs are down 8.8% to 17,795. Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) registrations are down 21.6% to 207 in comparison to May 2024 when 264 were registered. Year to date, HGVs are down 10.3% to 1,521.

Imported used cars have seen a 7.9% rise to 5,949 in May 2025 compared to 5,513 for the same month last year. Year-to-date imports are up 7.5% to 28,184 compared to 26,206 for the first five months of 2024.

In May, 1,092 new electric vehicles (EVs) were registered, which was 5.3% higher than the 1,037 registrations in May 2024. So far this year, 12,392 new EVs have been registered, representing a 23.3% increase compared to the same period in 2024 when 10,052 were registered.

The EV market has certainly rebounded in Mayo with 127 new vehicles registered up to May 31, compared to 88 for the same period last year, an increase of 44%. In Galway, some 403 new EVs were registered, an increase of 34% on the 301 sold in the first five months of 2024. 

In the new car market share by engine type for 2025, petrol cars remain the new car market leader at 27.60%, followed by hybrid (petrol-electric) at 23.09%, diesel at 17.42%, electric at 15.63%, and plug-in electric hybrid at 14.64%.

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General, commented: "Private consumers continue to account for the majority of EV sales. While we are now on schedule to reach the interim Climate Action Plan target of 175,000 electric cars (EV and PHEV) by the end of this year, as highlighted by the EPA recently, we need to do more to accelerate the growth in EV sales between now and the end of the decade. 

"In this context, Government initiatives and supports will be vital."

Mr Cooke said the decline in commercial vehicle sales is a concern and "reflects the uncertain business environment at present, with many companies deferring investment decisions".

The top-selling car brands so far in 2025 are Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Skoda and Kia. The top new car models in the first five months of the year are Hyundai Tucson, Toyota Rav, Toyota Yaris Cross, Kia Sportage and Skoda Octavia. 

The top-selling EV models are Volkswagen ID.4, Kia EV3, Tesla Model, Kia EV6 and Hyundai Kona.