Sales of new cars in Northern Ireland continued to recover in April according to industry data.

Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show there were 3,432 sales, up 6.8% on the same month in 2022.

So far this year 16,750 new cars have been sold in Northern Ireland, up 17.4% compared to the same period last year.

The most popular models this year are the Hyundai Tucson and Ford’s Fiesta and Puma.

In the last couple of years the new car market was badly hit by supply chain problems, which delayed the delivery of vehicles.

There were particularly serious problems obtaining semiconductors, which are used in a vast array of electronic systems, from in-car entertainment to engine management.

In the UK as a whole, April was the ninth successive month of growth, with an 11.6% increase to reach 132,990 registrations.

However that was still 17.4% down on pre-pandemic volumes in April 2019.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said the new car market is ‘increasingly bullish, as easing supply chain pressures provide a much-needed boost”.