The latest Irish commercial vehicle market report from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) for February 2026 shows a mixed performance across the sector, with light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and buses posting strong gains while heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) continue to lag year-on-year.
Irish CV Market Report
New registrations of LCVs in Ireland increased by 15% in February 2026 compared with February 2025, with 3,633 units registered this month. This follows broader strength in the segment earlier in the year and contributes to solid year-to-date growth of 19.3%, with 11,199 LCVs registered so far in 2026, according to the SIMI report on the Irish CV market.
The continued growth in LCV registrations reflects ongoing demand from business users and service fleets, as companies look to modernise or expand their commercial operations following sustained investment in logistics and delivery capacity.
In contrast, the heavy goods vehicle (HGV) segment registered a slight decline in February. HGV registrations fell by 4.8% , with 277 units registered in February. Year-to-date volumes also remain below last year’s level, with 669 HGVs registered so far in 2026, representing a 12.1% decline, SIMI reports.
This slow performance in heavy truck registrations could be influenced by broader economic uncertainty, tighter fleet investment decisions among hauliers and ongoing caution around capital expenditure in sectors sensitive to interest rates and freight demand.
The bus segment delivered significant growth in February, with registrations going up by 61.8% year-on-year, with a total of 178 bus registrations. In February, bus registrations grew by 74% with 59 units.
Although overall volumes in the bus category remain small, the strong annual percentage increase suggests renewed activity in fleet renewals, particularly as public transport operators continue to invest in modern vehicles that meet emission standards and service requirements.
