CYPRUS: Motor vehicle sales reach a decade high in 2018

Motor vehicle registrations in Cyprus rose 13.3% in 2018 for the fifth consecutive year since 2014 with sales at a decade high.

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According to official data, total new registrations of motor vehicles reached 49,450 in 2018 from 43,640 the year before, reaching their highest point for 10 years.

Sales of passenger saloon cars increased 12.8% to 40,683 cars from 36,067 in 2017.

Of the total saloon cars sold 32% or 13,126 were new and 68% or 37,557 were used, Cystat said.

Goods transportation vehicle sales increased 20% to 5,275 compared to 4.396 the year before and light commercial vehicles were up 21,1% to 4,525 from 3,738 in 2017.

Heavy trucks sales spiked 33.1% to 543 from 408 the year before but tow-truck sales declined 17.2% in 2018 to 207 from 250.

Moped sales increased 20.9% to 307 from 254 in 2017, whilst motorbike sales rose 4.4% in 2018 to 2,542 from 2,435.

Cyprus imported most of its cars (56.6%) from the EU followed by Japan with a 29.3% share.