New car registrations in Northern Ireland fell by 13.7% in April, marking the sharpest decline of any UK region, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Just 3,294 new vehicles were registered in the region last month, compared to 3,815 during the same month in 2024.
So far this year, Northern Ireland has seen 17,612 new car registrations—a 5.1% decrease from the 18,565 recorded in the same period last year.
The SMMT attributed the April downturn to several factors, including the end of the vehicle excise duty (VED) exemption for electric vehicles, which came into effect on April 1. This prompted many buyers to bring forward their purchases before the rule change.
Nationally, new car registrations in the UK dropped by 10.4% year-on-year in April, from 134,274 in 2024 to 120,331 in 2025. The SMMT said the timing of Easter this year also contributed to the dip, resulting in fewer working days compared to April 2024.
Despite the overall decline, electric vehicles continued to gain ground. Registrations of pure battery electric vehicles rose by 8.1%, capturing a 20.4% share of the new car market—up from 16.9% a year ago. This comes as the industry moves toward meeting the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires at least 28% of new car sales per manufacturer to be zero-emission in 2025.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes described the April results as "disappointing but expected," following a strong March driven by new plate registrations. He added, “Another month of growth for electric vehicle registrations is good news, however, even if demand remains well below ambition.”
Ian Plummer of Auto Trader pointed to “short-term turbulence” as the likely cause of April’s softening sales, noting that visits to Auto Trader are up 8% year-on-year, suggesting stronger sales may follow.
Dan Caesar, head of lobby group Electric Vehicles UK, emphasized that at least one in five new car buyers now choose electric, adding, “As the industry demonstrates that battery electric vehicles are the cheaper and better option, more and more end-users will opt for all-electric vehicles.”
Top 10 New Car Registrations in Northern Ireland – April 2025
Nissan Qashqai
Kia Sportage
Volvo XC40
Ford Puma
Nissan Juke
Volkswagen Golf
Hyundai Tucson
Peugeot 2008
SEAT Arona
Toyota Yaris Cross
