Netherlands Full Year 2015: Peugeot 308 sovereign (17.4% share in Dec)

The Peugeot 308 holds 17.4% of the Dutch market in December. Picture largus.fr

* See the Top 45 brands and Top 368 All-models by clicking on the title *

Like in 2013 and 2014, in 2015 the Dutch new car sales landscape was entirely shaped by preferential tax cuts granted to low-emission vehicles. The intricacies of this system unique in the world have meant some nameplates are among the best-sellers one month only to disappear completely from the ranking the next month. In 2015, the large 16% year-on-year improvement to 449.350 registrations also finds its root in another market distortion: sales brought forward to the last quarter of the year due to the tightening of the aforementioned tax cuts on January 1, 2016. As a result December was the highest ever recorded in the country, up 91% year-on-year to 69.159 registrations. According to local organisations BOVAG, RAI and RDC, leasing companies have registered vast amounts of cars over the past few months, this way and through another loophole of the system, the future drivers of these cars will benefit from the original tax cuts for the next five years…

BMW is up 27% year-on-year in the Netherlands. 

The Top four most popular brands are unchanged compared to 2014: Volkswagen (+32%) and Peugeot (+33%) lead again and improve twice as fast as the market, followed by Renault (+15%) and Opel (+9%). Ford (+21%) overtakes Volvo (+14%) while BMW (+27%) gains four spots to break into the Top 10 at #8. Notice also Mercedes (+30%), Hyundai (+38%), Mazda (+51%), Porsche (+111%) and Jaguar (+226%) all posting spectacular gains over their Full Year 2014 scores. Tesla ranks 25th with 1.805 sales, up 23% on last year.

The Opel Karl is the most successful new launch of 2015 in the Netherlands. 

Model-wise, the Peugeot 308 delivers a historical month in December at 12.052 sales and an incredible 17.4% market share, lifting its FY 2015 total to 28.950 sales and 6.4% share, exactly double its 2014 score… The 308 realised 55% of its annual tally in November and December alone! This is the first ever annual win for the 308 nameplate in the Netherlands, but Peugeot’s 7th victory in the past 14 years and its first since 2008 when the 207 led the sales charts. Peugeot also placed the 206 in Dutch pole position in 2002, and the 307 from 2003 to 2005 while the 207 also finished tops in 2007. The 308 bypasses the VW Golf (+10%) and Renault Clio (+16%) while the VW Polo jumps 33% to #4 and the Volvo V40 rounds up the Top 5 like in 2014.

The Volvo XC90 breaks into the annual Top 50 thanks to outstanding Nov and Dec sales. 

Outstanding performance by the VW Passat up 7-fold on 2014 to #6 and 10.834 sales, a logical result given the lease-focus nature of the Dutch market. Notice also the Peugeot 108 up 10 spots to #14 and now outselling the 208, the Citroen C4 Cactus up to #16 for its first full year in market and the Mercedes C-Class up 124% to break into the Top 20 – registering 35% of its annual sales in the last two months of the year. The Opel Karl is the most successful new launch for 2015, landing at #39, above the Suzuki Vitara (#76), Mazda CX-3 (#81), Renault Kadjar (#88) and Hyundai Tucson (#105). Finally, notice the Volvo XC90 breaking into the Top 50 (#247 in 2014) thanks to the new generation ranking #12 in November and #11 in December.

Previous month: Netherlands November 2015: Peugeot 308 jumps to #1 year-to-date

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

Two years ago: Netherlands Full Year 2013: VW Up snaps up biggest market so far

Full Year 2015 Top 45 brands & Top 368 All-models vs. Full Year 2014 figures below.

Full December 2015 Top 37 brands and Top 248 All-models below.