Netherlands September 2012: VW Up! snaps up top spot!

VW Up!

* See the Top 100 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

The European gloom and doom has now officially reached the Netherlands, with new car sales down 28% year-on-year in September to 32,090 registrations. The year-to-date total now stands at 427,377 units, down 6% on 2011. Great news for Volkswagen: while the Polo keeps the lead in the 2012 year-to-date ranking in spite of a drop to #6 this month, the Up! takes control of the Dutch models ranking in September with no less than 1,892 sales and a record 5.9% share! After ranking #2 in July and #3 in August, the Up! is now regular at the highest level in the Netherlands, which has become the third (and largest) country in the world to crown the Up! after Denmark (in March, June and August) and Croatia (in June).

Kia Picanto

Thanks to this very impressive performance, the Up! shoots up from #10 to #5 in the Dutch 2012 year-to-date ranking at 9,836 units and 2.3%, and will be a serious contender to the overall title in 2013… After 4 consecutive months of low emission subsidy-fueled reign, the Renault Megane is down to #2 with a still extremely robust 1,648 sales and 5.1%, reinforcing its #2 spot year-to-date at 14,992 units and 3.5%. The Kia Picanto hits its highest ranking so far in the Netherlands at a brilliant 4th place thanks to 1,066 sales and 3.3%. The Peugeot 208 does the same at #5 with 998 units and 3.1%.

Peugeot 208

The Kolin sisters are in great shape this month: the Peugeot 107 is up 6 spots to #3, the Citroen C1 up 4 to #7 and the Toyota Aygo up 5 to #10, adding up to 2,988 sales and a mammoth 9.3% market share vs. 27,597 and 6.5% year-to-date. However the Bratislava sisters are getting more and more threatening: on top of the reigning VW Up!, the Seat Mii is up 5 ranks to #19 with 439 units and 1.4% and the Skoda Citigo is up 17 to #22 at 374 sales and 1.2%. All-in-all the 3 models manufactured in Bratislava add up to 2,705 units and 8.4% share this month..

Mitsubishi Outlander

Other great performers in the Netherlands in September include the Fiat 500 up 7 spots to #9 vs. #26 year-to-date, the Toyota Prius+ at a fantastic #12, the Volvo V40 up a massive 72 spots to #17 with 486 sales and 1.5%, its 2nd best performance behind Sweden, the Opel Meriva up 41 to #27, the Kia Cee’d up to #29 vs. #75 ytd, the Opel Ampera at a record #39 and 235 units, the Nissan Pixo up 62 ranks to #43 and the VW Caddy up 41 to #55. Finally, two SUVs shoot up the ranking just as their new generations go on sale: the Mitsubishi Outlander is up to #75 with 109 sales and the Hyundai Santa Fe is up to #95 at 66 units.

Previous month: Netherlands August 2012: Toyota Prius+ up to world best #5

One year ago: Netherlands September 2012: Kia Picanto up to #5

Full September 2012 Top 100 Ranking Table below.