Last month, new car registrations in Northern Ireland dropped by 13.7%, showing a more significant decrease compared to all other regions in the UK, according to recent data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The trade group reported that 3,294 new vehicles were registered in the northern region in April, down from 3,815 registrations in the same period the previous year.
In the current year up until now in Northern Ireland, 17,612 cars have been sold from dealerships. This represents a decline of 5.1%, compared to the figure for the corresponding timeframe last year, which was 18,565 vehicles.
Across the UK, 120,331 new cars were registered in April, marking a decline of 10.4% compared to the same period last year when 134,274 vehicles were registered.
The most recent market forecast has adjusted upward the prediction for total new car registrations in 2025 to 1.964 million vehicles; however, it maintains its expectation for 2026 under the two-million threshold, marking an ongoing streak of seven consecutive years beneath this level.
The SMMT pointed out that the decrease was due to several factors, such as modifications in vehicle excise duty regulations.
Electric vehicles ceased being exempt from VED starting April 1.
This led many “savvy” purchasers to complete their buys before the cutoff date, according to the SMMT.
Due to the delayed date of Easter this year, there were fewer workdays in April when compared to the same month in 2024.
The adoption of all-electric new vehicles increased by 8.1% in April, capturing a market share of 20.4%, which is an increase from the 16.9% recorded in the previous year.
According to the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, each manufacturer selling vehicles in the UK this year must ensure that at least 28% of their new car sales consist of zero-emission vehicles, typically referring to fully electric models.
The SMMT CEO, Mike Hawes, characterized the April figures for the new car market as “disappointing yet anticipated” following the 12.4% increase seen in March with the introduction of new license plates.
He stated: “An additional month of expansion in electric vehicle registrations is positive news; nonetheless, the demand still falls short of our aspirations.”
Ian Plumber, the commercial director at Auto Trader, which operates an online vehicle marketplace, suggested that “short-term turbulence” is probably responsible for the decline in new car sales recorded in April.
He added: “We’re seeing new car visits on Auto Trader up 8% on 2024 and we’re confident this will convert to sales in the coming months.”
Dan Caesar, chief executive of lobby group Electric Vehicles UK, said: “Month after month at least one in five new car buyers are now going battery electric.
As the market proves that battery electric vehicles offer a more cost-effective and superior choice, an increasing number of consumers will choose fully electric vehicles.
The leading 10 newly registered cars in Northern Ireland for April were
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Nissan Qashqai
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Kia Sportage
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Volvo XC40
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Ford Puma
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Nissan Juke
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Volkswagen Golf
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Hyundai Tucson
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Peugeot 2008
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Seat Arona
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Toyota Yaris Cross
