New car registrations for June 2025 reached 2,441, which is a 63.5 per cent increase compared to the same month last year, when just 1,493 new cars were registered. This brings the total number of new cars registered so far this year to 81,750 - up 3.5 per cent on the same period in 2024.
Are electric car sales still growing?
Yes - and by a wide margin. In June, 1,246 new electric vehicles (EVs) were registered, up 81.9 per cent from 685 in June last year. That means EVs made up just over half of all new cars registered last month.
So far this year, 13,631 EVs have been registered - a 27 per cent rise on the first half of 2024. However, this still falls short of the 2023 halfway mark, when 14,307 EVs had already been registered.
What kind of engines are people buying most?
Petrol-powered cars remain the most common choice among buyers in Ireland in 2025, accounting for 27.23 per cent of all new registrations. Hybrid petrol-electric cars follow closely at 22.77 per cent. Diesel cars now make up just 17.26 per cent of the market, while electric vehicles stand at 16.67 per cent and plug-in hybrid electrics at 14.16 per cent.
What about vans and trucks?
Light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations were also up in June - 1,054 were registered, compared with 684 in the same month last year. However, the bigger picture for vans is less positive, with LCV registrations down 6.7 per cent overall for the year.
Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) registrations saw a small bump in June - 128 compared with 124 last year - but remain down 9.3 per cent year to date.
Are we still importing used cars?
Yes - in fact, used car imports are on the rise. In June, 5,713 used imports were registered, up 10.6 per cent on June 2024. For the year so far, 33,896 imported used cars have been registered - that's an 8.1 per cent increase over the same period last year.
What do industry experts say?
SIMI Director General Brian Cooke welcomed the positive June figures, especially the strong performance of electric vehicles: “EV registrations in June increased by 82 per cent in comparison with June last year. While this is clearly a positive development, it should be highlighted that EV sales are behind 2023 levels, and extension of government supports is still vital in the establishment of the EV market.”
He also noted mixed results in the commercial vehicle sector, suggesting a degree of uncertainty among businesses.
What's the best-selling car right now?
The Hyundai Tucson remains Ireland's most popular car so far in 2025, followed by the Toyota RAV4, the Toyota Yaris Cross, the Kia Sportage, and the Skoda Octavia. Toyota also leads as the best-selling brand, with Volkswagen, Hyundai, Skoda and Kia rounding out the top five.
In the electric market, Volkswagen is the top-selling brand, followed by Kia, Tesla, Hyundai and BYD. The best-selling electric model so far this year is the Volkswagen ID.4, followed by the Tesla Model 3, Kia EV3, Kia EV6, and the Tesla Model Y.
What's new this month?
From 1 July, Ireland's new '252' registration period begins - and with it, a new green stripe on number plates for fully electric vehicles. The green 'flash' is optional and applies to any zero-emission vehicle, including electric vans, bikes and trucks.