CAR dealers in the north recorded a significant year-on-year jump in the sale of new motors last month, but the industry is still performing well below pre-pandemic levels.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said 4,161 new cars were registered in January 2022, 79 per cent more than the 2,324 sold in the same month last year.
While the January 2021 data reflects the implications of more stringent Covid-19 restrictions at the time, last month’s sales tally was still 17 per cent down on the 5,030 new cars registered in January 2020.
Albeit slightly better than the UK-wide performance, which was 23 per cent down on January 2020.
The immediate pre-covid sales period in Northern Ireland itself was one of the weakest in recent memory.
The north’s new car dealers were seeing 6,356 new cars roll out of forecourts as recently as January 2015, a third more than last month.
The SMMT said sales in 2022 continue to be restricted by low consumer confidence and the global shortage of computer chips, which is limiting supply.
But, the industry body’s latest data showed the upsurge in the electric trend continued last month,
One in five new car buyers across the UK last month chose a plug-in vehicle.
Battery electric vehicle registrations were up 130.6 per cent year on year, while demand for plug-in hybrids grew by 47.3 per cent.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: "Given the lockdown-impacted January 2021, this month's figures were always going to be an improvement, but it is still reassuring to see a strengthening market.
"Once again it is electrified vehicles that are driving the growth, despite the ongoing headwinds of chip shortages, rising inflation and the cost-of-living squeeze.
"2022 is off to a reasonable start, however, and, with around 50 new electrified models due for release this year, customers will have an ever greater choice, which can only be good for our shared environmental ambitions."
The Volkswagen T-Roc was the best-selling new car in Northern Ireland last month and at 110 sales, the only model to sell more than 100.
It topped the table ahead of the Ford Focus (97), Kia Sportage (93), Hyundai Tucson (91), Volkswagen Golf (91), Dacia Sandero (89), Renault Captur (89), Vauxhall Mokka (80), Peugeot 2008 (78) and the Ford Puma (77).
