CAR sales in Northern Ireland have plunged into reverse, with a five per cent fall in registrations this year from 2016.
A total of 3,811 new cars were registered last month, a 2.3 per cent reduction on June's figure, with Brexit uncertainty cited as a factor for a UK-wide slump.
The latest industry figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show a total of 35,933 new cars have been sold so far this year in the north up to July, a 5.1 per cent slide on the 37,868 recorded over the same period in 2016.
The Volkswagen Golf is the most popular car in Northern Ireland with 1,321 registered to date this year, while the Hyundai Tucson was second, followed closely by the Ford Fiesta in third.
Last month the Golf also topped the pile for sales (156), followed again by the Hyundai Tucson (149), with the Skoda Fabia (117) rounding off the top three.
In the UK as a whole just under 162,000 new cars were registered in July, down 9.3 per cent on the same month last year and the fourth consecutive monthly decline. In all some 1.56 million new cars have been sold so far this year across the UK, a decrease of 2.2 per cent on the same period in 2016.
Registrations of new diesel cars fell 20.1 per cent in July, with petrol models down 3 per cent. Alternatively fuelled vehicles meanwhile rose by 64.9 per cent and achieved a record market share of 5.5 per cent.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the market is continuing to fall amid growing uncertainty over Brexit and is in line with forecasts.
"The fall in consumer and business confidence is having a knock-on effect on demand in the new car market and Government must act quickly to provide concrete plans regarding Brexit."
Motoring editor at Confused.com Amanda Stretton said downward trend in new car sales represented an opportunity for prospective buyer.
"This actually means there will be some unprecedented deals to be had as manufacturers and dealers push their stock to stimulate the market. September, in particular, is going to be a key time for car buyers looking for a bargain with potentially even bigger discounts than those we saw the same time last year. As ever, the end of the year will also be a critical time for buyers looking to cash in on a sales-driven market."
Most registered Northern Ireland vehicles in in 2017
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1,321
HYUNDAI TUCSON 1,105
FORD FIESTA 1,081
FORD FOCUS 907
FORD KUGA 822
KIA SPORTAGE 749
NISSAN QASHQAI 747
VOLKSWAGEN POLO 720
VAUXHALL CORSA 670
SEAT LEON 541
Total Top 10 8,663
Northern Ireland Grand Total 35,933
