Car sales drop: -1.5 percent in October
After months of consecutive growth figures, fewer new passenger cars were registered in the Netherlands in October than in the same month last year. However, the decrease is small at 1.5 percent, according to figures from Bovag and the Rai Association.
In April, May, June, July, August and September, 35, 42, 31, 38, 19 and about 17 percent more new passenger cars were registered in the Netherlands than in the same months last year. High growth figures, but everything comes to an end. The percentage growth already dropped in August and September and turned into a negative number in October. In October, 28,362 new passenger cars were registered in the Netherlands. That is 1.5 percent less than in the same month last year.
Now that the registration figures for October are known, we can also tell you how many new cars have already been registered in the Netherlands so far this year: 315,013 cars. That is 24.3 percent more (61,503 units) than in the first ten months of 2022. According to Bovag and Rai Association, consumer confidence is low. Consumers are also said to be cautious due to uncertainty about the phasing out of tax incentives for electric cars after 2025. The trade organizations expect that around 340,000 new passenger cars will ultimately be registered throughout 2023.
Picanto beats Tesla
Just like in September, Kia is also the car brand that registered the most new cars in our country in October. Kia registered 3,015 cars, giving it a market share of 10.6 percent. Volkswagen and Toyota are again in second and third places. Tesla will no longer be in the Top 5 in October. In fourth place we find Skoda, followed by Hyundai, which claims that position from BMW in fifth place.
Not the Tesla Model Y, but the Kia Picanto was the most registered new car in the Netherlands in October. That was the Tesla Model Y in September, but we now find that car in fifth place with 647 registrations. The rest of the Top 5 consists of the usual suspects: the Volvo XC40, Volkswagen Polo and Kia Niro.
Most popular car brands in the Netherlands, October 2023
| Brand | Number | Market share | |
| 1 | Kia | 3,015 | 10.6 percent |
| 2 | Volkswagen | 2,828 | 10.0 percent |
| 3 | Toyota | 1,927 | 6.8 percent |
| 4 | Skoda | 1,748 | 6.2 percent |
| 5 | Hyundai | 1,645 | 5.8 percent |
Most popular cars in the Netherlands, October 2023
| Brand | Fashion model | Number | Market share | |
| 1 | Kia | Picanto | 1,019 | 3.6 percent |
| 2 | Volvo | XC40 | 759 | 2.7 percent |
| 3 | Volkswagen | Polo | 746 | 2.6 percent |
| 4 | Kia | Niro | 706 | 2.5 percent |
| 5 | Tesla | Model Y | 647 | 2.3 percent |
