New vehicle registrations motoring along nicely in Mayo

New vehicle registrations for January in Mayo are up 10.73% on the same month last year, reflecing a positive start to the year for the motor industry.

Nationally, the increase in new registrations is 3.3%, with 34,604 complated last month compared to 33,499 in January '25.

The figures, published by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), also show a marked increase in imported used cars so far this year – up 43.5% (8,041) this January when compared to January 2025 (5,604).

Light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations increased by 21.6% (7,579) compared to January last year (6,234), while heavy goods vehicle (HGV) registrations were down 16.6% (392) in comparison to January 2025 (470).

In the first month of the year, 7,319 new electric cars were registered, which was 48.7% higher than the 4,923 registrations in January 2025. This growth represents the highest number of electric car registrations to date.

In the new car market share by engine type, hybrid (petrol-electric) has taken the lead for the first time at 28.28% as the most popular engine type, followed by electric at 21.15%, petrol at 20.94%, plug-in hybrid at 14.56%, and diesel at 12.48%.

Automatic transmissions account for 78.74% of the market share, while manual transmissions continue to see a decline, coming in at 21.21%.

Commenting on the figures, Brian Cooke, SIMI director general, stated: “2026 has started promisingly for the new car market. January, a key month for sales, saw 34,604 new cars registered – a 3% increase on the same month last year.

“Battery technology cars saw significant growth. Their market share accounted for nearly two-thirds of new car sales in January, with the combined market share of traditional petrol and diesel cars falling to 33%. Hybrid vehicles are the most popular engine choice, taking the position as market leader for the first time.

“The momentum in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) sales from last year has carried over into January 2026. BEV sales rose significantly in January, with 7,319 units registered compared to 4,923 units last year – the highest monthly volume to date.

“Over one in five new cars registered in January were fully electric vehicles. Private consumers accounted for 75% of BEV sales, an 11% increase on last year. Government incentives, expanding EV model choices, and a greater range of price points are all helping consumers make the switch.

“If we want this emerging market to continue to expand, focus on infrastructure and government supports will be key.”

The top 10 selling new car brands in January were Toyota, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Skoda, Kia, Peugeot, Ford, Audi, Dacia, Renault. The top 10 new car models were Toyota Yaris Cross, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Toyota Corolla Cross, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Kona, Skoda Octavia, Skoda Kodiaq, Volkswagen ID.4, Volkswagen Tiguan.

The top three new car colours so far this year are grey, black and blue.