Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Issues covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: Total new car registrations, NI and RoI, 2013-18
- Forecast
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- Figure 2: Indexed new car registrations, NI and RoI, 2013-23
- Market factors
- Fuel prices increase on the back of crude oil improvement
- Dealerships key channel for car financing
- Personal finances expected to remain stable
- Innovations
- The consumer
- Three quarters own a car
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- Figure 3: Ownership of a car, NI and RoI, 2016 and 2018
- Figure 4: When consumers bought their car, and if it was new or second-hand, NI and RoI, January 2018
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- Figure 5: Reasons why consumers do not currently personally own a car, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Petrol and diesel key choices for future car purchase
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- Figure 6: Desired fuel type for future car purchase, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Smartphones use while driving a worry for four in five
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- Figure 7: Agreement with statements relating to cars, NI and RoI, January 2018
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- New car registrations fall in 2017
- Crude oil value shifts petrol and diesel prices
- Car tax increasingly linked to emissions
- Dealerships key channel for car financing
- Consumers somewhat optimistic about their finances, less so about the economy
Market Size and Segmentation
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- New car registrations expected to hit five-year low in NI in 2018
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- Figure 8: Total new car registrations, IoI, NI and RoI, 2013-23
- Figure 9: Number of used imported cars registered, RoI, 2013-18
- Electric/ Hybrid cars see huge year-on-year increase
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- Figure 10: New car registrations, by engine type, RoI, 2013-17
- UK/NI sees increase in alternative-fuel cars too
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- Figure 11: Sales of new cars, by fuel type, UK (inc NI), 2013-17
- Volkswagen top seller of 2017 in RoI, Ford for UK
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- Figure 12: New car registrations, by top 10 brands of cars, RoI, 2013-17
- Figure 13: Manufacturer shares of new car registrations, 2013-17
Market Drivers
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- Crude oil continues to regain value
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- Figure 14: Annualised Brent crude oil price per barrel, global, 2013-18
- Petrol and diesel costs continue to increase
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- Figure 15: Indexed consumer prices for petrol and diesel, RoI, January 2015-February 2018
- Figure 16: Indexed consumer prices for petrol and diesel, UK/NI, January 2015-February 2018
- New road tax bands introduced for UK/NI
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- Figure 17: Vehicle Excise Duty Rates, April 2017
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- Figure 18: Vehicle Registration Tax, RoI, 2018
- EU ruling could help boost more NI to RoI car imports
- Dealerships key channel for car financing
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- Figure 19: Main reasons for saving by consumers, NI and RoI, October 2017
- Figure 20: Main reason for taking out most recent loan, RoI and NI, November 2017
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- Figure 21: Car finance providers used, UK, February 2017
- Improvement in outlook for personal finances
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- Figure 22: If consumers expect their personal financial situation to change in the next 12 months, NI and RoI, April 2017-March 2018
- NI consumers pessimistic about the economy, RoI consumers confident
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- Figure 23: If consumers expect the general economic situation of NI/RoI to change in the next 12 months, NI and RoI, April 2017-March 2018
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Scrappage scheme offered by major operators and the impact on green vehicle sales
- SIMI sales figures
- New models from Mercedes and Volkswagen released to Irish market
- Donnelly Group goes ‘carbon-neutral’
Who’s Innovating?
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- Role of physical car dealership being challenged by the internet
- AutoGravity aiming to streamline the car financing process
- Convergence of Autonomous and Electric Vehicles could make car ownership a hobby rather than a necessity
Companies and Brands
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- Agnew Group
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- BMW Group Ireland
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Ford Ireland
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Mercedes-Benz Ireland
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Nissan Ireland
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Peugeot Ireland
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Renault Ireland
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Volkswagen Ireland
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Audi Ireland
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Charles Hurst
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Donnelly Group
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- MSL (Motor Service Limited) Group
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Tesla
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Toyota Ireland
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
- Opel-Vauxhall
- Key Facts
- Recent Developments
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Three quarters of consumers personally own a car
- Diesel and petrol still key engine types for future purchases
- Safety on the minds of Irish motorists
Car Ownership and When Last Car was Purchased
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- Car ownership remains stable in 2018
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- Figure 24: Ownership of a car, NI and RoI, 2016 and 2018
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- Figure 25: Ownership of a car, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Ownership levels remain higher among mature consumers
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- Figure 26: Ownership of a car, by age and social class, NI and RoI, January 2018
- A third of RoI drivers have bought second-hand two or more years ago
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- Figure 27: When consumers bought their car, and if it was new or second-hand, NI and RoI, January 2018
- A lack of licence barrier to ownership growth
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- Figure 28: Reasons why consumers do not currently personally own a car, NI and RoI, January 2018
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- Figure 29: Consumers who do not currently have a driving licence, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Figure 30: Consumers who currently have a driving licence, but do not drive, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2018
Fuel Preference for Future Car Purchase
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- Traditional fuels still most desired for future cars
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- Figure 31: Desired fuel type for future car purchase, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Petrol more desirable to NI consumers due to cost, RoI consumers prefer diesel
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- Figure 32: Consumers who prefer petrol vs. diesel engine for future car purchase, NI and RoI, January 2018
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- Figure 33: Average price per litre of petrol and diesel, UK and Ireland, April 2018
- Future diesel taxation/ bans could switch RoI purchasing intentions
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- Figure 34: Indexed new car registrations, by engine type, RoI, 2013-17
- Over a quarter considering a hybrid for future purchase
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- Figure 35: Consumers who would prefer hybrid engine for future car purchase, by gender and age, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Little immediate appetite for electric vehicles
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- Figure 36: Consumers who prefer Pure Electric (ie uses rechargeable batteries) vs. Plug-in Hybrid (ie combines rechargeable batteries and external power source) engine for future car purchase, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Figure 37: Concerns about 100% electric vehicles, UK, September 2016
- Improvements to charger network could help boost interest in electric cars
Attitudes towards Cars
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- Strong concern with impact of devices on driver safety
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- Figure 38: Agreement with statements relating to cars, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Device usage key concern
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- Figure 39: Agreement with the statement ‘I am increasingly concerned about drivers using devices while driving’, by age, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Safety concerns for self-driving cars need to be addressed
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- Figure 40: Agreement with the statement ‘I would be keen to purchase a driverless car in the future’, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2018
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- Figure 41: Agreement with the statement ‘I worry that self-driving cars would be unsafe’, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Parents more likely to view car as a necessity
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- Figure 42: Agreement with the statement ‘I could not survive without my car’, by presence and age of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2018
- Wi-Fi desired by RoI parents to keep kids entertained
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- Figure 43: Agreement with the statement ‘I am interested in fitting my car with in-car Wi-Fi’, by presence and age of children in household, NI and RoI, January 2018
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Data sources
- Generational cohort definitions
- Market size rationale
- Abbreviations
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