Number of new cars licensed up 19.5% for first eight months of 2016

The number of new cars licensed rose 14.1 per cent in August and is up 19.5 per cent for the first eight months of the year, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Overall, 9,781 new cars were licensed for the first time last month, compared with 8,572 for August 2015.

In addition, 6,135 used imported cars were licensed, up 67.3 per cent compared with the same month last year.

In the first eight months of the year, some 129,733 new cars were licensed, compared with 108,522 for the same period last year.

The number of used imported cars licensed jumped 31.4 per cent compared to January to August 2015.

Goods vehicles licensed rose 24.2 per cent in August.

Most popular brand

Volkswagen continues to be the most popular car brand despite the emissions scandal, with 1,092 new cars licensed last month.

Hyundai was the second-biggest car manufacturer, followed by Ford, Toyota and Skoda.

The top five car brands account for almost half of all private cars licensed.

Some 70 per cent of cars licensed in the first eight months of the year were diesel.

The CSO figures usually differ from those issued by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI). The CSO measures the number of cars taxed for the first time while the SIMI figures are based on new registrations issued by the Vehicle Registration Office.