Belgium is nearby, is about the same size as the Netherlands and partly they speak the same language as we do. But despite a lower population, more new ‘cars’ are sold than here and the composition of the car fleet also differs greatly.
With three-quarters of a year behind us, 287,013 new cars have been sold in Belgium, while in the Netherlands we got stuck at 211,460 units. For both countries this means a decrease compared to 2020, of about 3.5 percent. As far as the percentage decrease is concerned, the Dutch and Belgian markets are therefore very similar, but otherwise we mainly see differences.
For example, the largest brand in our southern neighbors is BMW, with a market share of more than 10 percent. The Dutch drive mainly with new Kia’s from the showroom (12 percent). The average Belgian probably does not understand this. In Belgium, the Korean brand does not go further than fifteenth place. North and south agree on the number two: in both cases it is Volkswagen. It is also striking that the Belgian numbers 4 (Audi), 5 (Mercedes) and 7 (Citroën) are not even in our top ten. The reverse is true for Toyota. Good for us on the podium, in Belgium the Japanese are in 12th place.
Many more expensive cars sold in Belgium
The fact that the Belgian tax burdens less on large, heavy and fast cars than the Dutch tax is reflected in the sales figures of a brand like Land Rover. It has so far sold 2,778 cars on the south side of Hazeldonk, accounting for a market share of almost 1 percent. In the Netherlands, the counter in 2021 is provisionally at 988 units, or 0.47 percent of the market. For Jeep, the differences are even greater and it stands 2227 – 781 for Belgium. But it is mainly the Dutch Jaguar dealers who are cross-eyed with jealousy at the results achieved by the ‘distributors’ on the other side of the southern border. Compared to the poor 175 new Dutch Jaguars in 2021, there are 1663 Belgian copies.
An expensive brand that is doing remarkably well in our country is Porsche. After 1,380 cars sold, the importer’s flags fly proudly in the top. In Belgium they laugh about it: there they sold 1991 new Porsches. Well, that’s what you get when prices are soon 30 grand lower.
Belgians love Dacia and DS
A French brand that is doing much better with our southern neighbors than with us is DS. In Belgium it sold 1,255 new cars, in the Netherlands only 227 crossed the dealer thresholds.
It was recently announced that the Dacia Sandero was Europe’s best-selling car in July. They also sold like warm Liège waffles in Belgium. In total, our southern neighbors bought almost five times as many Dacias this year as we do (10,099 vs. 2050).
Diesel cars still have a market share of about 25 percent in Belgium, compared to 8 percent in the Netherlands. The market share of ‘electric cars’ in Belgium is only about 4 percent (NL: 15.2 percent), but Belgians now seem to have also found their way to the EV. In the electric segment, Tesla leads the way with 1776 cars (NL: 1169), but the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4 are busy catching up.
Top 10 car sales in Belgium (January – August)
- BMW – 29,639
- Volkswagen – 26,454
- Peugeot – 21,479
- Audi – 21,288
- Mercedes – 20,135
- Renault – 14,077
- Citroen – 13,920
- Opel – 13.513
- Skoda – 12,725
- Ford – 12,075
Source: Febiac
Top 10 car sales in the Netherlands (January – August)
- Kia – 19,615
- Volkswagen – 19,467
- Toyota – 15,382
- Skoda – 14,254
- Peugeot – 13,899
- BMW – 13.232
- Ford – 11,946
- Volvo – 10,985
- Opel – 10,346
- Renault – 10.274
Source: RAI/BOVAG