11-month car sales crash 19.6%

Total registrations of motor vehicles decreased by 17.1% in the first 11 months with passenger saloon car sales marking a bigger 19.6% annual decline due to the COVID factor.

January to November motor vehicle sales reached to 36,079  from 43,530 in 2019, according to Statistical Service figures.

Passenger saloon cars decreased by 19.6% to 28,257 from 35,136 in January-November.

Of the total passenger saloon cars, 9,566 or 33.9% were new and 18,691 or 66.1% were used cars.

In November alone, total registration of motor vehicles were 3,802, a decrease of 2.8% compared to 2019. Passenger saloon cars registered a fall of 2.8% to 3,034.

In October 2020, the reduction amounted to 21%.

New vehicle registrations rose 8.8% to 1,036 from 952 last year while used car sales declined 7.8% to 1998 from 2168.

Last year, the registration of saloon cars decreased by 7.1% to 37,802, down from 40,683 in 2018.

Goods conveyance vehicles dipped 20.0% to 4.195 in January-November from 5,243 in the same period last year.

Light goods vehicles sales decreased by 22.4% to 3,512, heavy goods vehicles by 3.4% to 517 and road tractors (units of trailers) by 8.3% to 166.

Mopeds under 50cc recorded a 29.4% decline to 192 in January-November from 272 in the previous year.

Motorbikes over 50cc increased by 17.8% in sales to 2,731 from 2,318 in January-November 2019.