According to a report conducted by Carzone the impact of COVID-19 has created an increased desire for car ownership amongst Irish people.

Over half (55%) of respondents stated that owning or having access to a car is now more important as a result of the pandemic in an in-depth survey of over 2,000 people in Ireland.
 

The research outlines the impact that COVID-19 has had on the car buying journey over the past year, with 64% of prospective car buyers still looking to buy a car and a third (36%) putting their car buying plans on hold.
 

In terms of budgets available, 60% of people say their car buying budget has stayed the same or has increased since the beginning of the pandemic.
 

COVID-19 has also impacted those who don’t drive, encouraging 65% of non-drivers to learn to drive (83% amongst the 18-24-year-old group). 48% of people are less likely to use public transport compared to pre COVID-19 levels.
 

The report suggests that the travel restrictions in place over the past number of months may have helped motorists to reduce their running costs, with a portion of motorists reporting a reduction in vehicle running costs, for example, 53% of respondents say running costs decreased and only 30% state an increase in mileage last year.