Car sales at lowest ebb since 2015

Sales of passenger saloon cars in the first 10 months dropped to their lowest level since 2015, according to data released Tuesday.

The energy crisis, rising pump prices, and long delays in vehicle deliveries are affecting the car market.

Total vehicle sales dropped significantly in October compared to last year due to the steep drop in passenger saloon cars.

According to the Statistical Service, total vehicle registrations in October were 2,481, dropping by 6.2% from October 2021; compared with September, total car sales fell by 27.3%.

Passenger saloon cars in October declined by 7.1% year on year to 1,862, while compared with September, they plunged 31.9%.

Saloon cars made up 75% of total vehicle sales in October.

For the 10 months to October, total registrations declined by 4.2% to 29,062 from 30,345 last year.

Passenger car sales decreased to 23,045 from 23,341 in January-October 2021, recording a 1.3% reduction. They were down 28% in 2019 sales.

Of the total passenger saloon cars, 9,895, or 42.9%, were new, and 13,150 or 57.1%, were used.

New car registrations increased in the first ten months by 5.4% from 9,390 last year.

A 5.7% decrease was recorded in used cars, with registrations down from 13,951.

In September, private salon registrations increased by 6.9%.

In 2021, car sales fell to their lowest level since 2015, registering a decline for the third year in a row.

The decrease in 2021 was 12.8%, from 18.4% in 2020.