Car sales increase 35%

Total motor vehicle registrations rose 35% in September to 4,607 from 3,412 last year, while passenger saloon car sales increased 35.9% to 3,722 from 2,738, Statistical Service data shows.

During the nine months of January-September, the total of registered vehicles increased by 29.0% to 34,280, compared to 26,581 during the same period in 2022.

The registration of passenger saloon cars jumped 29.8% to 27,499, from 21,183 in the same period of 2022.

Of the total passenger saloon cars sold, 11,487 or 41.8% were new and 16,012 or 58.2% were used cars. Rental cars, in particular, showed an increase of 38.3% to 4,811.

Motorcoach and bus registrations increased to 266 in January-September, up from 68 in 2022, while goods conveyance vehicle registrations increased 12.5% to 3,226 from 2,867.

Light goods vehicles increased by 8.7% to 2,514, heavy goods vehicles by 37.2% to 398, road tractors (trailers) by 68.3% to 106, and rental vehicles by 3.5% to 208.

Registrations of mopeds under 50cc increased to 230 in January-September, compared to 199 last year, while registrations of motorcycles over 50cc rose 33.3% to 2,651 compared to 1,989 in 2022.