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NEW STATISTICS RELEASED by the Central Statistics Office show that Volkswagen has pipped competitor Toyota to be the most popular car in Ireland so far this year.
The German manufacturer overtook Toyota in new car sales during April, with a total of 6,102 units sold this year, ahead of the Japanese player’s 5,634.
It’s the same result when total sales are taken into account, with both Volkswagen (8,264) and Ford (7,646) beating Toyota’s 7,181.
Overall, the number of new private cars licensed for the first time increased by 44.9 per cent compared to April 2014.
For the year so far, there’s been 51,123 new car sales compared to last year, an increase of 30.7 per cent.
Goods and commercial vehicles, sales of which are often seen as a good indicator of how well the economy is doing, also climbed by a third to 1,502 in April. For the year to date, commercial registrations are up 46.1 per cent to 1,926.
The total number of new cars licensed in the year went up to 61,051, a 31.7 per cent increase on 2013 numbers.
For April the total figure was 14,178, up 4,121 or 41 per cent on the same month last year.
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I think favorite might be overstating it a bit. My favorite is a Lamborghini, but I don’t own one :(
Those cars are soooo common in London. All the chavs have them. Bugatti is my favourite car. But like lamborghini it startinig to become a bit common.
Absolutely Bobby, you couldn’t pay me to drive one of them common yokes………………….
Don’t blame you, driving one of them yokes is like the micra brigade back in the 90s :) Scarlet.
Ya, ya, like, what is it with these common poor people who drive cars more than three years old. Get a job!
If Hitler won WWII they say we would have all been using a German designed currency, in a German influenced economy, driving German built cars on German funded motorways………oh wait….hmmmmm
Never heard anyone say that
Yeh poxy germans who do they think they are running there country properly and being world leaders in manufacturing,engineering,technology and economics.
and eating Irish butter…
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand Godwin’s Law is proven once again.
Running there country right????? It would have been interesting to see how much they where exposed to our country if we were not duped into paying bond holders and the likes
I’ve had 2. They feel better build than other cars and the tactile quality of the cabin materials feels more expensive than their competitors. They break down just as much as other cars however. My Passat has left me down plenty of times. They’re trading on a bit of a myth IMO.
VW earned a name as a good reliable car back about 15 years ago. I find the current VWs are not even close to the reliability of Japanese ones
German cars nowadays are generally troublesome, and not built to last anymore.
Someone must tell the Irish people, seeing as 1/4 of new car sales are VAG.
they must be doing something right.
Vw has it’s own bank to help customers get credit…
Toyota aren’t exactly getting positive press recently?
Shoddy workmanship, shoddy workmanship! They don’t build them like they used ta! I was in a head on car collision years ago in a golf into a brand new fiesta at the time (1996/97) all we needed to do in the gold was a headlight and new grill, the fiesta was a right off, golf was an 1986
I wonder how many cars are actually sold and not just pre reged. There are a lot of 141 reged cars sitting on the forecourts of dealerships.
If you want a reliable German car , buy a skoda, they show VW how to do it , taxi drivers can’t be wrong. I had one for 10 years, it was bullet proof
Noel, built in the Czech Republic, not Germany, (same as most VW Group engines now). But, yes, they are damned good cars and far better value that VW or Audi.
Joseph VWs are built in the Czech Republic as well.
mjhint, would that be the VW UP/Skoda Citigo/Seat Mii, or are there others ? Polo, perhaps? Not been following what’s being built where that closely, I’m afraid.
Unsure I just see the VWs loading on to trains at the factory I think in Pilsen near the Skoda factory.
VAG engines up to 1.4ltr & associated gearboxes are being manufactured by Skoda in their Czech & Slovak facilities.
Not sure about vehicle assembly though.
My own car (a Skoda) was assembled in the VW plant in Russia.
BC, wow, hadn’t realised they were building there. What model, if I may ask ?
Yeti.
Great car, we love it.
Ford Fiesta built in Germany, great car.
Same goes for the new seat leon. It’s a dream to drive!!
Skoda are part of the Volkswagen Group Noel
Just rented a Fabia automatic left hand drive and it’s better than I thought. Cars have really come on in the past 5 years for the better.
Irelands favourite car is still a massey 135!!
VW haven’t made a reliable car in about 20 years. They had to offer a 10 year warranty on DSG gearbox in the US.
25% imported.
Hmmm…
Iv a Toyota 1988 celica, still starts first time, like corollas and other cars from the 80′s they are bullet proof
They really were will built cars back then. I saw a gorgeous 1990 VW Golf a few weeks back and it still looked brand new. Engine sounded like it was ticking over like new too, if you look after a decent car from that era it will never die.
The German takeover is progressing nicely……
Before the Euro VWs were expensive and everyone couldn’t afford them but now they are the top selling car. More proof the Euro project is distorting markets and will be a problem for us for years to come.
I hope the Germans start to buy a lot of our food products to balance this out but I have my doubts………
Kerrygold is Germany’s most popular butter – problem sorted!
1 VW golf (~Eur 25k) = ~10000 lbs of Kerrygold. (@Eur2.50 a lb?)
I think they’d have to run their cars on Kerrygold to have the desired effect !
VW is popular ergo the Euro is a failure.
Awesome logic, Journal style.
I personally prefer Nissan. Had a Primera for 4 years and never broke down once or gave any problems. Have had a Note for 7 years now and again never broken down or given trouble. Don’t see how they’re not in the top few. Cheaper than VW and Toyota too..
They WERE brilliant but since Renault took over I can’t stand the designs. Gone are the days of the Maxima.
Really? I personally think Renault design some great looking cars. However, I wish the Nissans for the Irish market were Japanese made, not British made
Plenty of Maxima’s going cheap now :) great car but thirsty buggers!!
I love my Golf. Bought it new Nov 2001. Will b 13 this Nov. Never had one bit of trouble with it. Sales through the NCT every year. Now have only 50 000 miles on the clock. And i look after it, service etc. Yearly NCT Rip off. More money for the government. They rip us off in every direction.
NCT yearly a rip off.
When the 2 combined all that happened was – Nissan got a little worse and Renault got a little better.
Luke, why would prefer Japanese built over UK built ?
Sails…
Of course it sails through u barely drive the car , 50,000 miles in 13 years, some people walk that much
Uglier too…
UK
Times are tight all right over there. I remember when lada used to be one of the most popular cars over there or was that just my family.
How come Irish don’t like/love Audi ?
Because of the audiots that drive them
Audi = Skoda in a fur coat
I always though that Skoda’s were VWs?
They have near 5% market share so it ain’t all bad for Audi.
Well the VW group control VW, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat, Skoda, Ducati, MAN and Scania
Alex, Skoda is a poor man’s Volkswagen.
All those Skoda badges on the parts of a new VW/Audi suggest there is little difference.
Jack, rather it’s a sensible man’s VW, or Audi come to that. Still, whatever your price range or needs you can find something from VAG to suit. Quite an amazing group considering VW were pretty much helped back from the almost-dead by a British Army officer, following WWII. Had they been accepted by the UK government as part of the reparations deal they would, probably, have disappeared long ago. Killed-off by Communist unions, lazy workforce, appalling management and blind politicians.
I thought Porsche owned the lot or jave a majority state in the vw group?
Brendan, Porsche tried to takeover VW but got their fingers very badly burned. They are now part of the VW Group.
I have my 320d bmw touring during the week but on the rare sunny weekends its my Lancia Delta integrale. Motoring porn at its best.
MJH, ahh, a man of taste and discernment. One of the all-time greats, that Integrale.
Thank you Joseph you obviously are a man of great taste & intellect. I feel lucky to own it as the first time I saw one was when I was an apprentice at a fiat/lancia dealer. It is a childhood sweetheart of mine.
mjhint, was very tempted to buy a Delta 1500, (not an Integrale as I don’t think they existed), when they first came out. Great test drive but walked away for reasons that now seem stupid. Think I bought a Volvo 340 instead. Lovely to drive and the rear transaxle gave it great handling………but no “soul”, (and I know you’ll understand what I mean by that). Nearest I’ve been so far was my last Mk1 Fabia vRS; so much fun. A real Jack Russell of a car, prepared to take on anything bigger than itself. I can Imagine the Integrale being in that vein but with the advantage of having the trousers to match the mouth. I do believe I may be a tad envious, Sir. :-)
As I said just lucky.
“For the year so far, there’s been 51,123 new car sales compared to last year, an increase of 30.7 per cent.” Is this a meaningless statement, or is it just the usual lack of knowledge of correct punctuation?
VW v’s Toyota……………….eeny meeny miney mo…………….
Dont let clarkson finish that rhyme!!
Is the the Jounal going all Jeremy Clarkson?
I hear he’s a racist now, Father
Leopold : take a bow. Long time since I laughed at a comment on this site!
Obvious nothing like a Golf but wudnt say no to a Toureg if I was offered one
I wouldn’t give up my Fiat 500 for anything. (Although my friend does call it “a handbag on wheels”)
I hate Volkswagens always very expensive for parts and servicing.
Bring back the LADA :)
The way Putin is expanding Russia into the Ukraine at the moment if he continues to expand westwards we may soon have no choice but to buy Ladas in the future – like back in the USSR.
A grey coloured car!!!!
Someone made a mistake. There are no Alfa Romeo on that list.
Daysul golfs in paddy spec. Top seller. All for the sake of saving a few hundred tax
I have a 08 Honda civic,2.2litre TDI,185 bHP would be happy to take on a golf or Skoda RS.So few civics on the road at least driving something different also very reliable and economic
have your say