The number of new private cars taxed for the first time in 2016 thus far are up 20% on the same period in 2015.

Between January and July, 119,952 new cars were taxed, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Of those, 70% have been diesel.

New cars were up 5.5% year-on-year in July, with 22,462 tax discs being issued for new motors that month.

In terms of the most popular makes, Hyundai is leading the charge, with Ford, Toyota, Nissan and Volkswagen following.

In July, 5,600 used cars were taxed, representing a 38% rise on the same month in 2015. The number of used (imported) private cars licensed during the first seven months of the year increased by 26.9% compared with the same period in 2015.

Earlier this month, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) named the Hyundai Tucson as Ireland's top-selling car of both July and the year to date. 

SIMI also reported that car sales for the year to end July had already surpassed the total number of new cars registered for the whole of 2015.