New vehicles | July | January - July | ||||||
2015 | 2016 | Change | 2015 | 2016 | Change | |||
New private cars | 21,290 | 22,462 | 1,172 | 5.5% | 99,950 | 119,952 | 20,002 | 20.0% |
New goods vehicles | 2,429 | 2,560 | 131 | 5.4% | 15,840 | 19,694 | 3,854 | 24.3% |
Total new vehicles | 24,894 | 26,480 | 1,586 | 6.4% | 122,763 | 147,804 | 25,041 | 20.4% |
In July 2016, 22,462 new private cars were licensed for the first time, an increase of 5.5% compared with July 2015. A total of 5,637 used (imported) private cars were licensed, representing a rise of 38.3% on the same month last year.
In the first seven months of 2016, 119,952 new private cars were licensed, a rise of 20.0% compared with the same period last year. The number of used (imported) private cars licensed increased by 26.9% compared with the same period in 2015.
The licensing figures also show that:
Licensing differs from registration in that a vehicle is licensed when a valid motor tax disc is issued for the first time. Registration occurs when a vehicle gets its licence plate (registration number) for the first time. |
Most popular makes of new cars, July 2015 | |
Hyundai | 12 |
Ford | 9.9 |
Toyota | 10.7 |
Nissan | 9.9 |
Volkswagen | 10.5 |
Other | 47 |
Most popular makes of new cars, July 2016 | |
Hyundai | 14.2 |
Ford | 11.3 |
Toyota | 11.2 |
Nissan | 8.3 |
Volkswagen | 8 |
Other | 46.9 |
Table 1: Number of vehicles licensed for the first time classified by taxation class | |||||||
Taxation Class | July | January - July | |||||
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | ||
New vehicles | |||||||
New private cars | 14,037 | 21,290 | 22,462 | 76,317 | 99,950 | 119,952 | |
New goods vehicles | 1,579 | 2,429 | 2,560 | 10,359 | 15,840 | 19,694 | |
New tractors | 196 | 185 | 191 | 1,551 | 1,358 | 1,466 | |
New motorcycles | 131 | 156 | 205 | 685 | 871 | 1,107 | |
New exempt vehicles | 685 | 679 | 916 | 3,482 | 3,833 | 4,447 | |
New other | 108 | 155 | 146 | 766 | 911 | 1,138 | |
Total new vehicles | 16,736 | 24,894 | 26,480 | 93,160 | 122,763 | 147,804 | |
Used (imported) vehicles | |||||||
Used private cars | 4,879 | 4,075 | 5,637 | 32,480 | 28,703 | 36,411 | |
Used goods vehicles | 751 | 739 | 915 | 5,250 | 5,116 | 5,818 | |
Used tractors | 206 | 130 | 165 | 1,567 | 1,010 | 1,106 | |
Used motorcycles | 196 | 168 | 249 | 1,045 | 1,024 | 1,270 | |
Used other vehicles | 443 | 353 | 415 | 2,650 | 2,238 | 2,403 | |
Total used vehicles | 6,475 | 5,465 | 7,381 | 42,992 | 38,091 | 47,008 | |
Total all vehicles | 23,211 | 30,359 | 33,861 | 136,152 | 160,854 | 194,812 |
Table 2A: Number of new private cars licensed for the first time by CO2 emission band and fuel type, July 2016 | ||||||||
Band | Fuel Type | Total | ||||||
Petrol | Diesel | Electric | Petrol & electric hybrid | Diesel & electric hybrid | Petrol or Diesel plug-in hybrid electric | Other | ||
A | 4,055 | 12,907 | 38 | 443 | 1 | 49 | 0 | 17,493 |
B | 2,235 | 1,909 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,185 |
C | 118 | 422 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 541 |
D | 26 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 |
E | 10 | 88 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 98 |
F | 9 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
G | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Not available | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Total | 6,456 | 15,433 | 38 | 485 | 1 | 49 | 0 | 22,462 |
Table 2B: Number of new private cars licensed for the first time by CO2 emission band and fuel type, January-July 2016 | ||||||||
Band | Fuel Type | Total | ||||||
Petrol | Diesel | Electric | Petrol & electric hybrid | Diesel & electric hybrid | Petrol or Diesel plug-in hybrid electric | Other | ||
A | 21,481 | 70,063 | 325 | 1,811 | 3 | 194 | 0 | 93,877 |
B | 11,002 | 10,451 | 0 | 216 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21,669 |
C | 604 | 2,274 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,886 |
D | 179 | 469 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 649 |
E | 58 | 449 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 507 |
F | 53 | 250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 303 |
G | 20 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
Not available | 1 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
Total | 33,398 | 83,996 | 325 | 2,035 | 4 | 194 | 0 | 119,952 |
Table 3: Number of new and used (imported) private cars licensed for the first time by make, July 2016 | |||||||
Make | July | January - July | |||||
New | Used (imported) | Total | New | Used (imported) | Total | ||
Audi | 842 | 488 | 1,330 | 4,783 | 2,965 | 7,748 | |
BMW | 738 | 300 | 1,038 | 4,245 | 2,096 | 6,341 | |
Citroen | 152 | 217 | 369 | 1,172 | 1,347 | 2,519 | |
Dacia | 733 | 11 | 744 | 3,491 | 58 | 3,549 | |
Fiat | 110 | 46 | 156 | 550 | 239 | 789 | |
Ford | 2,531 | 828 | 3,359 | 12,162 | 5,241 | 17,403 | |
Honda | 262 | 175 | 437 | 1,307 | 1,184 | 2,491 | |
Hyundai | 3,185 | 258 | 3,443 | 13,049 | 1,566 | 14,615 | |
Jaguar | 68 | 18 | 86 | 399 | 150 | 549 | |
Kia | 1,007 | 170 | 1,177 | 5,508 | 861 | 6,369 | |
Land Rover | 154 | 12 | 166 | 1,058 | 111 | 1,169 | |
Lexus | 102 | 39 | 141 | 503 | 230 | 733 | |
Mazda | 423 | 93 | 516 | 2,343 | 609 | 2,952 | |
Mercedes Benz | 514 | 174 | 688 | 2,970 | 1,265 | 4,235 | |
Mini | 83 | 57 | 140 | 588 | 354 | 942 | |
Mitsubishi | 142 | 23 | 165 | 753 | 148 | 901 | |
Nissan | 1,875 | 277 | 2,152 | 10,034 | 1,686 | 11,720 | |
Opel | 1,067 | 0 | 1,067 | 6,636 | 13 | 6,649 | |
Peugeot | 578 | 283 | 861 | 3,414 | 1,834 | 5,248 | |
Renault | 1,345 | 122 | 1,467 | 6,987 | 856 | 7,843 | |
Seat | 403 | 67 | 470 | 2,166 | 395 | 2,561 | |
Skoda | 1,303 | 128 | 1,431 | 7,635 | 834 | 8,469 | |
Ssangyong | 37 | 0 | 37 | 162 | 2 | 164 | |
Subaru | 20 | 8 | 28 | 115 | 38 | 153 | |
Suzuki | 174 | 39 | 213 | 942 | 251 | 1,193 | |
Toyota | 2,526 | 457 | 2,983 | 12,910 | 2,986 | 15,896 | |
Vauxhall | 0 | 450 | 450 | 0 | 3,178 | 3,178 | |
Volkswagen | 1,806 | 710 | 2,516 | 12,399 | 4,815 | 17,214 | |
Volvo | 254 | 121 | 375 | 1,497 | 641 | 2,138 | |
Other | 28 | 66 | 94 | 174 | 458 | 632 | |
Total | 22,462 | 5,637 | 28,099 | 119,952 | 36,411 | 156,363 | |
The information in this table is available in much greater detail in Databases (see Statbank link below) |
The vehicle licensing figures are compiled from data supplied by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division. The data provide details on the number of private cars, goods vehicles, motor cycles and other vehicles licensed for the first time in each city and county council, classified by make and size, during a given month.
The release titled 'Vehicles Licensed for the First Time' commenced in January 1993. It replaced the series previously published as 'Particulars of Vehicles Registered and Licensed for the First Time'.
In January 1993, separate systems for vehicle registration and licensing were introduced. The Office of the Revenue Commissioners became responsible for the compilation of vehicle registrations while the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government retained responsibility for vehicle licensing. In January 2008, responsibility for vehicle licensing was transferred to the Department of Transport (which later became the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport).
For new cars registered from 1 July 2008 motor tax charges are determined on the basis of the CO2 emission level, based on seven CO2 bands.
The licensing process where applicable follows the registration process.
Registration and licensing figures may differ in a given month for a number of reasons, some of which are outlined below:
The question is often asked, which reflects better vehicle sales, licensing figures or registration figures?
In practice, on a monthly basis, the licensing data is probably a better reflection of sales. In some cases, a vehicle may be registered by a dealership in advance of a sale. Whereas, typically, vehicles are only licensed at the point of sale. However, if a vehicle is purchased towards the end of a month, the buyer may wish to defer collecting and licensing it until the start of the following month. So the issue is not clear-cut.
From 31 October 1999, detailed information on agricultural vehicles is no longer published in accordance with Commission Decision 92/157/EEC as upheld on 28 May 1998.
Private cars: The term 'private cars' in this release, refers to privately licensed vehicles which include hire, fleet and certain commercial vehicles.
Second-hand: The term 'second-hand vehicles' in this release, refers to imported used vehicles which are licensed for use in a public place, in this country, for the first time.
Exempt: The term 'exempt vehicles' in this release, refers to vehicles which are licensed for the first time but are exempt from liability to pay road tax.
Exempt vehicles can be divided into four main categories:
Machines or Contrivances: Vehicles included under this category are mobile machines, forklifts, excavators and diggers.
Electric hybrid: means a vehicle that derives its motive power from a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine and is capable of being driven on electric propulsion alone for a material part of its normal driving cycle.
Plug-in electric hybrid: means a vehicle that derives its motive power from a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, where the electric motor derives its power from a battery that may be charged from the internal combustion engine and an alternating current (AC) electric mains supply and is capable of being driven on electric propulsion alone for a material part of its normal driving cycle.
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