These results came as much welcomed news to the motor industry, which has already witnessed a better than expected start to the year.
In terms of what motorists are looking for, it will come as no surprise to most that the top speed of the car is the least important factor when considering a new purchase, with the current economy leaving the majority of motorists with no choice but to have reliability, price, and fuel economy as their top priorities.
It is assumed that diesel sales, which accounted for 60 percent of new car sales in 2010, will continue to dominate the new car market in 2011. Over 60 percent of those prospective new car purchasers indicated that they will opt for it over a petrol model, while 17 percent of the remainder say they are as yet undecided.
Other interesting statistics obtained from the poll revealed that 30 percent of women purchasers will consider a petrol engine, while twice as many women as men currently drive a car with an engine of 1.2-litres or less.
"75 percent of new cars sold within this category during 2010 were petrol models, so it's not surprising that petrol models are faring better among females" says John Farrell of the AA.
Finally, certain vehicle characteristics tended to vary from county to county, with Dublin respondents tending to be least concerned with fuel economy, Limerick respondents least concerned with a vehicle's winter handing and Cavan respondents the least interested in a vehicle's top speed.
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