At a glance – what drove the motor industry in 2016?

• 2016 was a year of growth for the motor industry – and the year-on-year growth has given the industry the opportunity to return to profitability, with a view to future growth.
• The new car market was up by 17.5%  year-on-year.
• Used car imports increased by 51%.
• Light commercial vehicle registrations increased by 18.5%.
• Heavy goods vehicles increased by 31.3%.
• There was a 14% year-on-year increase on combined new and used car sales.
• Leading brands for 2016 were Toyota (10.6%), Hyundai (10.5%), Volkswagen (10.5%), Ford (10%) and Nissan (8.1%).
• With PCPs helping some consumers overcome the funding barrier, there has been a change in the purchasing behaviour of many.
• In 2016, VAT and VRT receipts for new and used cars totaled 1.5 billion Euros, 26.8% up on 2016.
• There has been improved business sentiment and increased employment in the Fleet Management Business.
• The hire drive market has shown modest growth: new registrations have increased year-on-year by 4.27 % to 18.7k.
• Retailer used car sales have increased by 9% year-on-year to 270k.