Donegal bucks national trend to become Ireland’s most active car market

Donegal has emerged Ireland’s most active car market, dramatically outpacing other parts of the country on car buying and frequency of change, according to new research from the Carzone 2026 Motoring Report.

Strongest new car market
Almost one in three Donegal motorists (31%) purchased their most recent car brand new, making the county one of the strongest new car markets in Ireland. This stands in stark contrast to other regions, where as few as one in twelve drivers are buying new vehicles, highlighting how uniquely confident Donegal consumers are when it comes to major car purchases.

READ NEXT: Donegal men spend less than almost everyone else on St Valentine's Day flowers!

That confidence is reflected in how often drivers upgrade. Nearly one in five Donegal motorists (17%) say they change their car every year, the highest proportion in the country by a significant margin. In some counties, this figure drops as low as 2%, underlining just how active Donegal’s car market has become.

Vehicle-reliant for daily life
Car ownership remains deeply embedded in daily life across the county. Nearly three-quarters of Donegal drivers (73%) describe owning their own car as “absolutely essential”, the highest reliance on private transport in Ireland and far above urban areas such as Dublin and Kildare, where fewer than half of motorists say the same.

Donegal buying behaviours
Buying behaviour also points to strong trust in the established motor trade. Four in ten Donegal motorists (40%) purchased their current vehicle through franchise dealerships, making it the most popular route to purchase locally and signalling a market driven by quality, reassurance and long-term value.

Despite ongoing cost pressures nationally, Donegal drivers appear more financially comfortable than most. Over one in five motorists (21%) say they have no financial concerns about running their car, the highest proportion recorded in the country, while monthly running costs remain below the levels reported in Ireland’s main urban centres.

Momentum towards electric
Looking to the future, Donegal is also showing strong momentum towards electric vehicles. Around one in seven motorists (14%) plan for their next car to be an EV, placing the county among Ireland’s leading regions for future electric adoption and signalling a growing openness to cleaner motoring options.

Commenting on the findings, Conor Faughnan, Independent Motoring Expert with Carzone, said, “Donegal is now setting the pace for car buying in Ireland. The sheer frequency of change tells us this is a highly confident and engaged market. What’s particularly striking is how central the car remains to everyday life across the county. That reliance, combined with strong spending confidence and rising interest in electric vehicles, shows Donegal motorists are practical, informed and increasingly future-focused in their choices.”

The Carzone 2026 Motoring Report is based on a nationally representative survey of 1,000 Irish motorists and provides in-depth insight into how car ownership, purchasing behaviour, costs and future vehicle preferences vary across Ireland.