Over the past number of years Ireland has seen an influx of small cars with their popularity beginning to peak at the beginning of 2008 when the tide began to turn from the big guzzlers to something more environmentally friendly and more manageable in traffic. It seems just as this began to happen that the economy started to fail and so the talk of people changing their cars is today almost non existent. Unlike before, it seems that people are now only trading in only when they need to with many deciding to “run theirs in to the ground” until things improve again.
It ‘s really a shame for the small car market that this has happened, and a shame for drivers of normal sized cars on the road as we’ll now have to put up with the big 4x4’s who think they rule the road for another few years! Just when the popularity of the small car was beginning to soar it turns out that people can’t really afford them now.
Although there are good incentives to purchase a small car in some European countries – these incentives don’t seem to exist in Ireland. You don’t get cheaper insurance, the car tax is cheaper – but it’s free in the UK with cars such as the IQ! Small cars are still expensive to buy here in comparison to the UK also – where all of the extras that you pay more for here seem to come as standard there. Although this is a problem with all cars it is particularly annoying when it comes to the smaller and more environmentally friendly cars such as the IQ.
The IQ has loads of advantages – it offers better manoeuvrability and easier parking, better fuel efficiency, and fewer resources are used in its production to make it way more environmentally friendly. It is also a joy to maintain as well as looking happy on the road – obvious by the number of people who just smile when they see it!
I have already converted two people to the car – one of whom is buying one in 2010 while the other is saving up! I would love to see more IQ’s on the road in the New Year but unless the government does something to incentivise the purchase of small cars then I really can’t see this happening which is a shame.
I would however, encourage anyone thinking of trading in to take the IQ for a drive – you’ll be surprised with what you find and you may never return to your guzzler again!
