Ireland’s new car market is a relatively stable one with modest over 3% as we headed to print and a continuing rise in sales of electrically powered vehicles. Almost 125,000 new cars were registered in Ireland in 2025 with approaching a fifth of that total electrically powered – a near 40% increase on last year.
Added to a 13% rise to almost 55,000 used car imports and it’s clear that Irish consumers are eager to find the best bargain and change the car on their driveway. The market has also stabilised considerably since the pandemic with stock levels rising and waiting times falling in turn. There are significant opportunities for consumers in the crowded and highly competitive corner of the market occupied by mid-range crossovers and SUVs.
Similarly, EVs were oversupplied earlier in the year so there is potential for discount for the canny buyer but a recent sharp reversal of last year’s move away from EVs may have removed the most attractive deals.
In this 261 edition of Drive – New Car Buyer’s Guide we highlight the best of the new and updated models on offer. As ever, we’ve done our best to ensure that prices are correct at time of press but check with your local dealer for any updated pricing or special offers.
Declan Quigley
DRIVE Magazine Editor
PUBLISHING INFORMATION
PUBLISHER: Colm Burns. EDITOR: Declan Quigley. PHOTO EDITOR: Georgie Francis.
CONTRIBUTORS: Anthony Conlon, Martin McCarthy, Simon Ives.
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Andrew Greeley.
PROOF READING: Olif Karrington. PRINTING: Johnswood Press. DISTRIBUTION: Newspread
The entire contents of the Drive 261 New Car Buyer’s Guide are copyright 2026 SilverCloud Media, and may not be reproduced in part or full without the permission of the publisher SilverCloud Media