Ireland January-February 2016: Tucson leads, pushes Hyundai to #1

The Hyundai Tucson is the best-selling vehicle in Ireland so far in 2016. 

* See the Top 32 All-brands and Top 220 All-models by clicking on the title *

The Irish now firmly have their hand on the bi-annual licence plate change replicating the UK market and initiated a couple of years ago: January sales, now traditionally the strongest month of the year, are up 33% year-on-year to 39.745 units after 31% in January 2015 and 33% in January 2014. February sales do even better: up 36% to 21.568, lifting the year-to-date total to 61.313 registrations, up 34% on the same period a year ago and already accounting for 49% of the total sales figure reached over the Full Year 2015 (124.945). In other words, these first two months as well as July (the 2nd licence plate change) are the ones that really count in Ireland.

Thanks to sales up a whopping 72% year-on-year, Hyundai is starting the year all guns blazing, taking the lead of the market in January with 5.054 sales and 12.7% share ahead of Toyota at 12.2% (+25%) and Ford at 11% (+40%) whereas Volkswagen, market leader in 2015, is down to a paltry 4th place with 9.4% share (+16%). Dacia (+63%), Land Rover (+183%) and Jaguar (+102%) also post spectacular gains.

The Renault Kadjar ranks higher in Ireland (#11) than it does at home in France (#15). 

In February, Volkswagen reclaims the top spot with 11.7% share but once again underperforms the market at just +6%. It is followed by Toyota (+65%), Hyundai (+62%), Ford (+38%) and Nissan (+15%) wit Skoda (+50%), Opel (+51%), Kia (+60%) and Dacia (+70%) impressive also. Hyundai retains the year-to-date top spot for now with 11.7% share ahead of Toyota (11.3%), Ford (10.5%) and Volkswagen (10.2%).

The pole position of Hyundai this year so far in Ireland has a lot to do – 51% to be exact – with the outstanding and immediate success of the all-new Tucson, reaching levels its predecessor the ix35 would only have dreamt of. The Tucson is plain and simple the best-selling vehicle in Ireland, both in January with 2.477 sales and 6.2% share (vs. 1.606 and 4% for the #2, the Ford Focus) and in February with 1.141 sales and 5.3% share vs. 818 and 3.8% for the #2, the VW Golf. These are two very clear wins in two of the most important months of the year, which means the Tucson has already taken a very strong option on the FY2016 victory. This is a very significant shift in consumer behaviour in Ireland where no SUV has led the annual sales charts yet. Below the imposing 3.618 sales of the Tucson so far in 2016, we find the Focus (2.225), Golf (2.069), Octavia (1.949) and Corolla (1.835). The Renault Kadjar also makes a splash, ranking #13 in January and #12 in February for a #11 YTD spot, simply its best in the world (France: #

Previous post: Ireland Full Year 2015: VW Golf and Ford Focus in the lead

One year ago (Jan): Ireland January 2015: VW Golf holds onto #1 in market up 31%

One year ago (Feb): Ireland February 2015: VW Passat shoots up to 2nd place

Full January and February 2016 Top 32 All-brands and Top 220 All-models below.