Toyota Ireland ahead in Q1 sales

Toyota Ireland once again closed the first quarter of 2024 as Ireland’s best-selling car brand for the fourth year in a row.

A total of 9,617 passenger cars were sold by Toyota from 1st January to 31st March, marking a 13.25 per cent increase compared to Q1 2023.

Hybrid and electrified driving remain popular among Irish motorists, with hybrid growing its market share to 21.7 per cent, a near two per cent increase on Q1 2023.

In the wider market, hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery electric (EV) vehicles reached a combined market share of 42.7 per cent, with PHEVs at 8.1 per cent and EVs at 12.9 per cent respectively.

In comparison, diesel sales remain static with 23.4 per cent with petrol increasing 1.6 per cent to 33.9 per cent.

Four Toyota models featured in the top 10 best-selling passenger cars, namely the Toyota RAV4, Yaris Cross, Corolla and Yaris hybrid which all posted impressive numbers.

Toyota’s range of low emission, hybrid vehicles made up 92.4 per cent of all Toyota passenger cars sold between January and March 2024, an increase of 3.9 per cent on 2023 sales for the same period.

This trend follows on from Ireland’s January sales figures, which marked the fourth year in a row for Toyota as Ireland’s bestselling car brand during one of the most competitive car sales periods in the year.

Zoë Bradley, head of marketing communications and corporate affairs in Toyota Ireland said: “It’s a fantastic achievement to close out the quarter as Ireland’s bestselling car brand for the fourth year in a row.

“Despite the continued popularity and familiarity of diesel which impacts the move to electrified driving, we’re seeing increasing demand from Irish motorists for a more environmentally friendly car choice like hybrid vehicles which immediately reduce CO2 and NOX emissions compared to diesel or petrol models without compromising on power and performance.

“We’re proud to offer the widest range of electrified models on the Irish market, with hybrid and battery electric options. We’re excited to see what the year ahead has in store for sustainable motoring, with new arrivals like our Toyota C-HR Plug in Hybrid and our expanding range of electrified models which give customers a choice of low emission cars to suit a range of lifestyles and budgets.”