DoneDeal Cars reveal top user search trends in 2025
Volkswagen was the most searched car brand on DoneDeal Cars in 2025, accounting for 13.8% of brand-filtered searches.
It was followed by Audi (11.0%), BMW (10.8%) and Toyota (9.3%), with Mercedes-Benz (7.1%) and Ford (5.7%) completing the top six.
The rankings highlight the continued strength of established mainstream and premium brands in Irish buyer search behaviour.
Among searches where users applied the Car Model filter, the Volkswagen Golf was the most searched model in 2025, accounting for 5.3% of model-filtered searches.
It was followed by the BMW 5 Series (2.7%), BMW 3 Series (2.3%) and Ford Focus (2.1%). The Audi A6, Volkswagen Passat and Audi A4 each accounted for 1.9%, while the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Toyota Corolla rounded out the top ten.
Fuel type:
Based on searches where users applied a Fuel Type filter, traditional powertrains continued to dominate interest:
Diesel: 47.9%
Petrol: 21.9%
Electrified options accounted for a smaller share of fuel-filtered searches:
Electric: 5.5%
Hybrid: 5.2%
Most searched petrol cars in 2025
Among searches filtered to petrol models, the Volkswagen Golf accounted for 16.5% of petrol model searches.
It was followed by the Volkswagen Polo (3.9%), Ford Focus (3.2%), Audi A3 (3.2%) and Ford Fiesta (2.9%). The Toyota Corolla, Toyota Yaris, BMW 3 Series, Audi A1 and Honda Civic also featured prominently.
Most searched diesel cars in 2025
Within diesel-filtered searches, larger family and executive models featured strongly.
The Volkswagen Golf led diesel searches with 7.7%, followed by the BMW 5 Series (5.6%), Volkswagen Passat (3.9%) and Audi A6 (3.5%).
The BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Ford Focus and Škoda Octavia also ranked highly.
Most searched hybrid cars in 2025
Among hybrid-filtered searches, the BMW 3 Series was the most searched model, accounting for 7.6% of hybrid model searches. It was followed by the BMW 5 Series (6.1%) and Toyota Corolla (5.7%). SUVs such as the BMW X5 and Toyota RAV4 also featured, alongside the Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Tucson and Toyota C-HR.
Most searched electric cars in 2025
Among electric-filtered searches, compact and mid-size SUVs dominated interest.
The Hyundai Kona was the most searched electric model in 2025, accounting for 8.2% of electric model searches. It was followed by the Volkswagen ID.4 (5.7%), Volkswagen ID.3 (3.0%), Kia EV6 (2.6%), Kia Niro (2.5%) and Nissan Leaf (2.5%).
Search behaviour on DoneDeal Cars in 2025 indicates that Irish buyers continued to prioritise familiar models and established fuel types when actively filtering their searches. At the same time, electric and hybrid cars were firmly present in buyer consideration, even if they remained secondary to petrol and diesel in overall filter usage.
Paddy Comyn, Head of Automotive Content & Communications at DoneDeal Cars, said: “Search filters show what people are actively looking for as they narrow down their options. In 2025, buyers on DoneDeal Cars continued to focus on familiar models and traditional powertrains, while interest in electric and hybrid cars remained steady as choice and availability improved.”