Ireland Automotive Retailing Market Report 2021
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Report Summary
“COVID-19 has hampered the ability of car retailers to operate, with lockdowns preventing operation, while shortage of materials has taken its toll on manufacturing globally – creating a shortfall of supply. As the sentiment of Irish consumers improves as more become vaccinated and return to normal day-to-day life, this will likely help to drive the need for cars once again.”
– Brian O’Connor, Senior Consumer Analyst
This Report looks at the following areas:
- Franchised new-car dealers – those under contract to specific car manufacturers or importers.
- Multi-franchise new-car dealers – those with contracts that enable them to sell the products of more than one manufacturer.
- Independents – dealers that sell used vehicles from various manufacturers, some of which specialise in nearly-new or pre-registered cars.
- Second-hand dealers – those selling any make of used car, of any age.
- Automotive auctions – these are mainly used by motor dealers to buy their own stock, but some private individuals also purchase cars through auctions.
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Issues covered in this Report
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- The market
- Figure 1: Total new car registrations, IoI, NI and RoI, 2015-21
- Figure 2: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on automotive retailing, May 2021
- Market factors
- Car prices increase
- Most report personal financial situation as healthy/OK
- Figure 3: Financial health of Irish consumers, NI and RoI, March 2021
- Fuel prices increasing in 2021
- Fall in car usage
- Figure 4: Average vehicle kilometres per annum, private cars, RoI, 2010-19
- Who’s innovating?
- Pollution filters in and around cars
- Robotic charging stations for electric vehicles
- The consumer
- Car ownership remains high
- Figure 5: Car ownership, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Figure 6: When consumers bought their car, and if it was new or second-hand, NI and RoI, January 2021
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- Figure 7: Reasons why consumers do not currently personally own a car, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Main dealers key outlet for purchasing cars
- Figure 8: Where consumers purchased their last car (new or second-hand), NI and RoI, January 2021
- Strong contingent of drivers still plan to buy petrol/diesel cars
- Figure 9: Type of car consumers intend to buy in the next three years, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Device usage among drivers a chief concern
- Figure 10: Agreement with statements relating to cars, NI and RoI, January 2021
- What we think
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The Market – What You Need to Know
- COVID-19 reduces 2020 car registrations
- Car prices increase
- Most report personal financial situation as healthy/OK
- Fuel prices increasing in 2021
- Fall in car usage
- COVID-19 reduces 2020 car registrations
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Market Size and Forecast
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- Short-, medium- and long-term impact on the industry
- Figure 11: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on automotive retailing, May 2021
- 2020 saw sharp drop in new car registrations in response to COVID-19
- Figure 12: Total new car registrations, IoI, NI and RoI, 2015-25
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- Figure 13: Ownership of savings before and during COVID-19, IoI, April 2021
- Figure 14: How consumers’ savings level have changed due to COVID-19, IoI, April 2021
- Toyota tops car registration table in RoI
- Figure 15: New car registrations, by top 10 brands of cars, RoI, 2020-21
- Figure 16: New car registrations, by top 10 brands of cars, UK (including NI), 2020-21
- Traditional fuel vehicles still top of the market, but alternatives making gains
- Figure 17: New car registrations, by engine type, RoI, 2021
- Figure 18: New car registrations, by engine type, RoI, Jan-April 2020 and 2021
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- Figure 19: New car registrations, by engine type, UK (inc NI), Jan-April 2020 and 2021
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Market Drivers
- Car prices increase despite COVID-19
- Figure 20: Car price inflation vs new and second-hand cars, UK (including NI), January 2019-April 2021
- Figure 21: Consumer price index for car prices, RoI, January 2019-April 2021
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- Figure 22: Agreement with the statement ‘I am cutting back on non-essential spending’, IoI, May 2020-21
- Majority report their finances as OK/healthy
- Figure 23: Financial health of Irish consumers, NI and RoI, March 2021
- Fuel prices increasing in 2021
- Figure 24: Consumer price index for unleaded petrol and diesel, NI, 2019-21
- Figure 25: Consumer price index for unleaded petrol and diesel, RoI, 2019-21
- Cars remain the most common method of travel
- Figure 26: Percentage distribution of journeys by mode of travel, RoI, 2014 and 2019
- Figure 27: Average number of journeys per person per year, by mode, NI, 2014-19
- Fall in car usage
- Figure 28: Average vehicle kilometres per annum, private cars, RoI, 2010-19
- Figure 29: Where consumers worked before and during COVID-19, Ni and RoI, August 2020
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- Figure 30: Length of time consumers spend travelling to work before and during COVID-19, NI and RoI, August 2020
- Car prices increase despite COVID-19
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Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
- Pollution filters in and around cars
- Robotic charging stations for electric vehicles
- Encouraging more driving for leisure
- Pollution filters in and around cars
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Who’s Innovating?
- AIRO offers in-car pollution filters
- Figure 31: Environmental and ethical issues most important to consumers, NI and RoI, November 2018
- New charging solutions
- Navigation to guide drivers down the slow route
- AIRO offers in-car pollution filters
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Competitive Strategies – Key Players
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- Retailers
- Agnew Group
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- Charles Hurst
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- Donnelly Group
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- Motor Service Limited Group
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- Manufacturers
- Audi Ireland
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- BMW Ireland
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- Ford Ireland
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- Mercedes-Benz Ireland
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- Nissan
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- Tesla
- Key facts
- Recent developments
- Volkswagen
- Key facts
- Recent developments
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The Consumer – What You Need to Know
- Car ownership remains high
- Main dealers key outlet for purchasing cars
- Strong contingent of drivers still plan to buy petrol/diesel cars
- Device usage among drivers a chief concern
- Car ownership remains high
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Car Ownership and When Last Car Purchased
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- Car ownership remains high in 2021
- Figure 32: Car ownership, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Figure 33: Car ownership, by age, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Most drivers bought second-hand vehicles
- Figure 34: When consumers bought their car, and if it was new or second-hand, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Men and affluent consumers most likely to buy new
- Figure 35: Ownership of cars bought new, by gender and socio-economic group, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Lack of license main reason for not owning a car
- Figure 36: Reasons why consumers do not currently personally own a car, NI and RoI, January 2021
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Where Consumers Bought Their Last Car
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- Half of all vehicles sold via main dealers
- Figure 37: Where consumers purchased their last car (new or second-hand), NI and RoI, January 2021
- Less affluent consumers more likely to use private sellers
- Figure 38: Consumers who purchased their last car via a main dealer vs. a private seller (new or second-hand), by socio-economic groups, NI and RoI, January 2021
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Type of Car Consumers Intend to Buy
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- Traditional fuels still most desired type of car engine
- Figure 39: Type of car consumers intend to buy in the next three years, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Women more likely to opt for petrol in NI
- Figure 40: Consumers who intend to buy a petrol engine car when next buying a car, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2021
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- Figure 41: Consumers who intend to buy a diesel engine car when next buying a car, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Hybrid vehicles appeal to older consumers; pure electric to younger
- Figure 42: Consumers who intend to buy a hybrid vs. pure electric engine car when next buying a car, by age groups, NI and RoI, January 2021
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Attitudes towards Cars
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- Device usage among drivers a chief concern
- Figure 43: Agreement with statements relating to cars, NI and RoI, January 2021
- Women more concerned with device usage
- Figure 44: Agreement with the statement ‘I am becoming increasingly concerned about drivers using devices while driving’, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2021
- COVID-19 takes its toll on car usage and payments
- Figure 45: Agreement with the statement ‘COVID-19/coronavirus has seen me use my car less often’, by work status, NI and RoI, January 2021
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- Figure 46: How worried consumers are about the risk of being exposed to COVID-19, IoI, March 2020-May 2021
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- Figure 47: Agreement with the statement ‘COVID-19/coronavirus has seen me struggle to keep up with car payments (eg lease fee, car loan repayments)’, NI and RoI, January 2021
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Data sources
- Market size rationale
- Generational cohort definitions
- Abbreviations
- Data sources
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