Car sales dip 18.4% in 2020

Car sales last year reached their lowest ebb since 2016 with registrations in 2020 down by 18.4% with the pandemic playing a major role.

It was the second year running that passenger car sales were in negative territory.

Overall, Cyprus vehicle registrations recorded a drop of 16.1% in 2020 with passenger car sales down by 7,000.

Passenger saloon cars decreased to 30,828 from 37,802 in January-December 2019, recording a fall of 18.4% (sales were down 7% the year prior).

Of the total passenger saloon cars, 10,237 or 33.2% were new and 20,591 or 66.8% were used cars.

In December alone, total registrations of motor vehicles were 3,288, recording a decrease of 2.3% compared to December 2019. Passenger saloon cars registered a fall of 3.6% to 2,571.

The total registrations of motor vehicles for the year fell by 16.1% to 39,367 in 2020, from 46,896 in 2019, Cyprus Statistical Service (CyStat) data shows.

Coaches and buses registered in 2020 increased to 305, from 175 in 2019.

The number of goods conveyance vehicles decreased by 21.2% to 4,559 from 5,786 in 2019.

Light goods vehicles declined by 23.6% to 3,812, heavy goods vehicles by 5.2% to 565 and road tractors (units of trailers) by 8.1% to 182.

Mopeds under 50cc recorded a fall of 12.1% to 246 in 2020 from 280 in the previous year.

Motorbikes over 50cc increased to 2,989 from 2,433 in 2019, recording a 22.9% increase.

The main suppliers of motor vehicles in Cyprus during 2020 were Japan (28.1%), Germany (22.9%), the UK (8.5%) and France (7.2%).