It has been two months since the new 162 registration plate landed in Ireland and it’s fair to say that the period has been a resounding success for new car sales, with an 8 percent increase in sales for July 2016 versus July 2015, while overall new car sales are up 19 percent so far in 2016 compared to the same period last year.
Irish motorist’s love affair with the compact SUV segment is evident when we look at the top three selling new cars in Ireland for July and August; the Hyundai Tucson SUV ranks first with the ever-popular Ford Focus in seconds and another SUV, the Nissan Qashqai in third. It’s interesting to see that this matches what Carzone users have spent their time searching for on the Carzone website and mobile apps in recent weeks.
Most-Viewed New 162 Models On Carzone:
Hatchback: The Golf remains the hatchback buyers favourite, while the Renault Megane jumps into second position thanks to an attractive new model being launched recently.
1. Volkswagen Golf
2. Renault Megane
3. Ford Focus
4. Audi A3
5. Mercedes-Benz A Class
Mid-Size SUV: The Hyundai Tucson has been somewhat of a sales sensation in Ireland and newly-registered examples can now be easily spotted in traffic. Volkswagen’s new Tiguan has shot up to second place in the search stakes as buyers are interested in what the brand new model has to offer.
1. Hyundai Tucson
2. Volkswagen Tiguan
3. Dacia Duster
4. Kia Sportage
5. Ford Kuga
Supermini: The Ford Fiesta has been one of the most popular small cars with Irish buyers for 40 years now and it shows no sign of slowing down, continuing to be Carzone’s most-searched 162 supermini, closely followed by the Volkswagen Polo in second.
1. Ford Fiesta
2. Volkswagen Polo
3. Nissan Juke
4. Hyundai i20
5. SEAT Ibiza
Saloon: The new Mercedes E-Class is quite a proposition and it continues to be one of the most-viewed 162 saloons on Carzone, with its companion the C-Class in second.
1. Mercedes E-Class
2. Mercedes C-Class
3. Audi A6
4. Volkswagen Passat
5. Audi A4
Large SUV: The new Kia Sorento has jumped into top spot on the most searched large SUVs for Carzone in July and August, while yet another Hyundai SUV features with the Santa Fe in second.
1. Kia Sorento
2. Hyundai Santa Fe
3. Volkswagen Touareg
4. BMW X5
5. Audi Q7
Luxury: The Mercedes-Benz has long set the standard in the luxury segment and it continues to be one of the most searched 162 models on Carzone, closely followed by the Audi A7.
1. Mercedes S-Class
2. Audi A7
3. Porsche Macan
4. BMW 7 Series
5. Jaguar F-Pace
Sports: The new Ford Mustang pays homage to the legendary American muscle car and has been successful in Ireland to date, with lots of Carzone users searching for it during July and August.
1. Ford Mustang
2. Mercedes AMG GT
3. Mazda MX-5
4. Porsche Boxster
5. Jaguar F-Type