Netherlands Full Year 2014: VW Golf #1 for third time ever

After 2001 and 2009, this is the third time the VW Golf is #1 in the Netherlands.

* See the Top 334 All-models and Top 46 All-brands rankings by clicking on the title *

2014 is a year to forget for Dutch new car sales, down 7% to 387,835 registrations. It would appear that the government subsidising green cars through preferential pricing and tax rebates hasn’t had any kind of positive effect. In fact it has been turning the entire Dutch market upside down for two years with nameplates artificially boosted to the top of the ranking only to disappear from it months later. Volkswagen loses one percentage point of share market vs. 2013 but remains in the brands lead with 12%, Peugeot is up by a brilliant 22% to 2nd place and 9.5% ahead of Renault (-18%), Opel (-1%), Volvo (-10%) and Ford (-35%). Outstanding performers include Skoda, Nissan (both at +63%), Dacia (+46%) and Tesla (+23%).

2014 Peugeot 308 sales are up 1053% year-on-year in the Netherlands.

In the models ranking, the VW Golf overtakes its stablemate the Up to take the lead of the Dutch sales charts for only the third time since the nameplate launched back in 1974 after 2001 and 2009 thanks to sales up 13% to 16,397 units and 4.2% share – this has a lot to do with the popularity of the station wagon variant. The Renault Clio is up 21% and 4 spots on 2013 to land at an excellent 2nd place with 14,684 deliveries but the award for most impressive progression goes without contest to the Peugeot 308 up a gargantuan 1053% and 80 spots year-on-year to #3 and 14,360 sales. It ranked #1 during 6 of the last 7 months of the year. The Skoda Octavia also impresses, up 182% and 20 ranks to #4.

The Peugeot 108 is the most successful newcomer in 2014.

Further down, the Renault Captur breaks into the annual Dutch Top 10 for its first full year of sales at #10, the Seat Leon is up 147% to #17, the Nissan Qashqai up 120% to #20, the Citroen C4 Picasso up 115% to #32, Mercedes C-Class up 84% to #35, Nissan Note up 163% to #41 and the Dacia Logan up a huge 3097% to #54. The Peugeot 108 is the most popular new nameplate in the country this year – landing directly at #24  and already peaking at #5 in September – ahead of the Citroen C4 Cactus (#58), BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (#91), Mercedes GLA (#118), Porsche Macan (#147), Ford Ecosport (#161), Nissan Pulsar (#166), Lexus NX (#170), BMW X4 (#176) and Jeep Renegade (#181).

Previous month: Netherlands December 2014: Peugeot 308 and Volvo V40 shine

Previous year: Netherlands Full Year 2013: VW Up snaps up biggest market so far

Two years ago: Netherlands Full Year 2012: Renault Megane up 164% to pole position

Full Year 2014 Top 334 All-models and Top 46 All-brands vs. Full Year 2013 below.