Car sales were up 21 per cent for the month of October (2,042 ) compared with the same month last year (1,692 ), according to figures released from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry.
To date 95,217 new cars have been sold - an increase of 30 per cent on 2013 (73,454 ). This is the first time in five years new car sales have reached 95,000.
The top three selling car brands were Volkswagen, Toyota, and Ford, while the top three selling models were the VW Golf, Nissan Qashqai, and Ford Focus
Vantastic performance
The commercial vehicle market is even more positive, with light commercial/van sales up 51 per cent (15,900 ) this year in comparison to 2013 (10,555 ). October (1,370 ) recorded a strong sales increase, up 79 per cent compared with October last year (766 ). The top-selling van was the Ford Transit
Meanwhile, the truck or heavy commercial vehicle registrations are also up 12 per cent for the month of October and 23 per cent year to date.
Alan Nolan, SIMI director general, said the positive registration figures for all sectors was a welcome sign of recovery for the industry, particularly the light commercial registrations which indicated a more general recovery in the wider economy.
"While the new car sales figures are encouraging, we must remember that we are still starting from a very low base. For sustainability the new car registration market needs to be operating at an annual level of 130,000. However these figures are a sign of continued progress and that sales are currently moving in the right direction.
"The industry has also seen improved business levels through commercial sales, and the rise in car sales also reflects improved consumer confidence both demonstrating strong indicators of economic recovery.”
