Toyota and Skoda come out tops in Cavan and Monaghan

The 261 sales period has got off to a solid start in Cavan and Monaghan with sales more or less on a par with this time last year.

In Cavan, 410 new cars were registered in January 2026, compared to 406 in the same period last year; while in Monaghan, 303 new cars were sold in the first month of this year, just one less than during the same period in 2025.

Nationally, new car registrations are marginally ahead, up 3.3% in January 2026 (34,604) with significant growth reported in battery technology cars.

The figures were published recently by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry.

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) increased by 21.6% (7,579) compared to January last year (6,234). Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) registrations are down 16.6% (392) in comparison to January 2025 (470).

Imported Used Cars have seen a 43.5% (8,041) rise in January 2026, when compared to January 2025 (5,604).

In January 7,319 new electric cars (battery electric cars) were registered, which was 48.7% higher than the 4,923 registrations in January 2025. This growth represents the highest number of electric car registrations to date.

In the new car market share by engine type, hybrid (Petrol Electric) has taken the lead for the first time at 28.28% as the most popular engine type, followed by electric 21.15%, petrol 20.94%, plug-in hybrid 14.56%, and diesel 12.48%.

Automatic transmissions account for 78.74% of market share, while manual transmissions continue to see a decline at 21.21%.

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General, commenting: “2026 has started promisingly for the new car market. January, a key month for sales, saw 34,604 new cars registered, a 3% increase on the same month last year. The commercial sector experienced mixed results.”

He pointed out that battery technology cars (BEV, PHEV, HEV) saw significant growth. “Their market share accounted for nearly two-thirds of new car sales in January, with the combined market share of traditional petrol and diesel cars falling to 33%. Hybrid-electric vehicles are the most popular engine choice, taking the position as market leader for the first time,” said Mr Cooke of the national picture.

In County Monaghan, however. Petrol and diesel is still proving most popular with drivers, although battery technology cars continue to grow in popularity. They account for over 26% of fuel types each in new cars registered in Monaghan.

Petrol electric hybrids were the top choice in Cavan with almost one in three drivers going this route.

But Mr Cooke believes more is needed to encourage motorists to go green. “Government incentives, expanding EV model choices, and a greater range of price points are all helping consumers make the switch. If we want this emerging market to continue to expand, focus on infrastructure and Government supports will be key,” he said.