DEMAND for new cars in Northern Ireland continued to grow last month, with registrations up 5.3 per cent compared to the previous March, writes William Scholes.
Figures from trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders also showed that year-to-date registrations were up by 2.8 per cent compared to 2015, with a total of 18,807 new cars registered between the start of the year and the end of March.
It means that the percentage growth in Northern Ireland matched that of the total UK market, which recorded its best March figures since 1999; in England, registrations grew by 5.7 per cent, in Scotland by 2.7 per cent and in Wales by 3.4 per cent.
In the Republic, meanwhile, sales for the first quarter of 2016 were up by a massive 28 per cent compared to January to March in 2015, with 82,780 cars registered.
In March, the Ford Fiesta regained top spot in the north's sales charts, followed by the excellent new Vauxhall Astra and Kia's latest Sportage, reflecting the trend which has seen crossovers occupy more spots in the top 10 this year.
::Northern Ireland's favourite new cars of March 2016
Model Number registered
1. Ford Fiesta 297
2. Vauxhall Astra 231
3. Kia Sportage 219
4. Seat Ibiza 217
5. Volkswagen Golf 216
6. Hyundai Tucson 213
7. Nissan Qashqai 187
8. Volkswagen Polo 183
9. Renault Kadjar 165
10. Ford Focus 161
Source: SMMT
:: Five fast facts
1. Overall, so-called superminis like the Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsa are still the most popular car type, accounting for more than a third of new car sales.
2. Around one in every six new cars registered is now a SUV, reflecting the rapid rise in popularity of crossovers like the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai.
3. Just 1,354 hybrid and electric cars were registered across the UK in March 2006. Ten years on, and more than 17,000 left UK showrooms.
4. Demand for new cars in Northern Ireland grew by more than a fifth in March 2016 compared to March 2011.
5. Average new car CO2 emissions are at an all-time low of 121.4g/km, down a third compared with 15 years ago.
