Galway car sales hit higher gear

Dealers across Galway breathed a sigh of relief in 2015, with a surge in new car sales – up by one third on last year.

Statistics compiled for the Connacht Tribune by car history checking website Motorcheck.ie show that sales for new passenger vehicles (cars, jeeps, people carriers and caravans)in Galway City and County from January to December 2015 are up 34% on the same period last year (from 3,778 to 5,060).

In fact, sales are up 150% on 2010, when just 2,026 new cars were registered in the twelve-month period.

Commercials and HGVs were also up in 2015 – from 894 last year to 1,310 (46%), while there was a slight dip in motorcycles from 23 to 22.

The Top 10 most popular new cars in Galway during the past year were the VW Golf (up 9% to 250); Nissan Qashqai (up 37% to 226); Toyota Corolla (up 5% to 221); Skoda Octavia (up 73% to 177); Ford Focus (up 14% to 169); Hyundai ix35 (up 85% to 158); VW Passat (up 54% to 156); Ford Fiesta (up 4% to 151); Kia Sportage (up 75% to 126) and the Toyota Auris (up 19% to 120).

The majority (3,665) were diesel engine, followed by petrol (1,291), hybrid (77) and electric (22).

Black, grey, silver, blue and white were the most popular colours, with MPVs being the most popular body type, followed by hatchbacks and saloons.

For the purposes of comparison, in Galway in 2013, there were 2,961 new passenger vehicles sold. In 2012 there were 3,132; in 2011, there were 3,839 sold.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.