Belgium Full Year 2017: VW Golf leads, BMW X1 up to 5th place

The BMW X1 brilliantly leaps into the Belgian Top 5 for 2017 whereas it only ranked #30 in 2016.

* Now updated with the Top 65 All-brands and Top 320 All-models – click on title to see *

Consult 30 years of Belgian Historical Data here

The Belgian new car market edges up 1.3% in 2017 to 546.558 registrations, holding onto the 6th rank in Europe but it could be threatened by Poland in 2018. Renault clings onto the brands leadership by the skin of its teeth, down 9% to 9.3% share and only 488 units above Volkswagen, itself down 5% to 9.2%. However this victory needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as Renault traditionally de-registers up to 30% of its Belgian new car sales within 30 days to then re-export them to other European Union countries and sell them as used as we detailed in Strategy: Renault champion of fake registrations. BMW posts a solid 5% gain to remain in 3rd place at 7.7%, while Peugeot soars 11% to overtake Opel (-2%) and take the 4th spot. Seat (+15%), Fiat (+12%), Mercedes (+11%), Nissan (+11%) and Kia (+10%) are the other double-digit gainers in the Top 20. Further down, Asron Martin (+156%), Chevrolet (+113%), Ferrari (+60%), Tesla (+34%), Alfa Romeo (+30%) and Infiniti (+21%) are among the biggest gainers.

The Peugeot 2008 is up to #8 in Belgium in 2017.  

Model-wise, the Top 4 best-sellers all lose ground vs. 2016. The VW Golf is #1 in Belgium for the 7th time in the past 8 years and the 22nd time in the past 30 years, this despite deliveries down a harsh 12% to 2.3% share. The Renault Clio (-2%) and Hyundai Tucson (-6%) camp on their 2016 position to round up an unchanged podium. The Opel Corsa (-1%) is up two spots to #4 while the BMW X1 storms up a staggering 25 spots vs. 2016 to land into the Top 5 thanks to sales up 54% year-on-year and a new generation. The Renault Captur (-15%) is down two ranks, ahead of the VW Polo (-0.2%), the Peugeot 2008 (+2%) breaks into the Top 10 at #8 as does the Peugeot 208 (-0.3%) at #10.

The Peugeot 3008 is up 221% to #14 and would rank #3 when adding sales of the 5008.

Notice also the Citroen C3 (+38%) up 21 spots to #11, the Peugeot 3008 (+221%) up 58 to #14 thanks to the new model (and up to a flamboyant 3rd place when adding sales of its 7-seat variant the 5008), the Mercedes GLC (+106%) up 31 to #32, the BMW 5 Series (+60%) up 19 to #55 and the Fiat Tipo (+113%) up 45 to #46. Launched in late 2016, the Audi Q2 (+1203%) breaks into the Belgian Top 50 for its first full year in market at #43 as does the Toyota C-HR (+2462%) at #48. Strikingly, there are no “pure” new nameplates (launched in 2017) inside the Top 115, with the Opel Crossland X the most popular at a lukewarm #116. It distances the Skoda Kodiaq (#128), Suzuki Ignis (#159), Alfa Romeo Stelvio (#170), Citroen C3 Aircross (#195) and VW Arteon (#198).

Previous post: Belgium November 2017: Mini & Tesla shine, Mercedes C-Class in Top 10

Previous year: Belgium Full Year 2016: VW Golf back to #1, Hyundai Tucson on podium

Two years ago: Belgium Full Year 2015: Renault Scenic takes control for the first time

Full Year 2017 Top 65 All-brands and Top 320 models vs. Full Year 2016 figures below.

Full December 2017 Top 45 All-brands ranking below.