Automotive Retailing - Ireland - April 2021

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Issues covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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
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
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
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
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
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
Figure 19: New car registrations, by engine type, UK (inc NI), Jan-April 2020 and 2021
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
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
Figure 30: Length of time consumers spend travelling to work before and during COVID-19, NI and RoI, August 2020
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
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
COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES – KEY PLAYERS
 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
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 AND WHEN LAST CAR PURCHASED
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
WHERE CONSUMERS BOUGHT THEIR LAST CAR 
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
TYPE OF CAR CONSUMERS INTEND TO BUY
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
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
ATTITUDES TOWARDS CARS
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
Figure 46: How worried consumers are about the risk of being exposed to COVID-19, IoI, March 2020-May 2021
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
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Data sources
Market size rationale
Generational cohort definitions
Abbreviations