Belgium January 2017: BMW best-seller, X1 surges 169% to #3

The BMW X1 is the third best-selling vehicle in Belgium in January. BMW is the #1 brand.

* See the Top 59 All-brands and Top 10 models by clicking on the title *

* See also the February Top 50 All-brands by clicking on the title *

The Belgian new car market leaps up 16.6% year-on-year in January to 51.701 registrations, and the top selling marques undergo a spectacular reshuffle this month: German luxury brand BMW takes the overall lead as it did a year ago in January 2016, thanks to deliveries up 24% to 4.549 sales and 8.8% share. BMW is the only manufacturer with Peugeot to place two nameplates inside the Belgian January Top 10 as we’ll see further down. BMW distances Volkswagen up 34% to 8.7% and Renault up 6% to 7.4%, the market leader in 2o16. Peugeot (+22%), Fiat (+22%), Kia (+27%), Mercedes (+29%) and Seat (+35%) also beat the market within the Top 20. Further down, Honda is up 40%, Alfa Romeo up 56%, Maserati is up 136% thanks to the Levante, Jaguar shoots up 144% thanks to the F-Pace and Infiniti is up 1160% thanks to its new Q30/QX30 lineup.

Infiniti sales are up 1160% in January thanks to the new Q30/QX30 lineup.

Model-wise, in January we have a surprise winner in the Opel Corsa up 64% to 1.399 sales, followed by the Renault Clio up 28% to 1.186. But the best performance of the month is without a doubt delivered by the BMW X1 surging 169% year-on-year to land on the third step of the podium thanks to 1.083 sales and 2.1% share. In fact, all Top 10 models display double-digit year-on-year gains, led by the Citroen C3 (+81%), BMW 1 Series (+67%), Hyundai Tucson (+29%), Peugeot 2008 (+28%) and Skoda Octavia (+22%). 2016 leader the VW Golf is shockingly kicked out of the January Top 10.

February brands data will also be included in this post while we await the publication of the Top 10 models by JATO Dynamics.  In February, Belgian new car sales are up again but by a much shyer 4.5% year-on-year to 51.942 registrations. After dropping down to #2 in January, Renault logically returns to the pole position it held over the Full Year 2016 despite a shy 1% improvement year-on-year to 4.395 units, followed by fellow Frenchie Peugeot at 4.178 (-4%), Opel at 4.016 (+2%) and Volkswagen at 4.003 (-3%). A very tight Top 4 this month indeed. Year-to-date, Renault is here too back on top with 8.236 units above Volkswagen at 8.502, BMEW at 8.074 and Opel at 7.842. BMW (+12%), Citroen (+12%), Ford (+12%), Mercedes (+14%) and Audi (+17%) all post double-digit gains inside the Top 10 while below, Skoda (+27%), Suzuki (+29%), Jaguar (+96%) and Infiniti (+400%) take off.

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

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

Full January 2017 Top 50 All-brands and Top 10 models below.

Full February 2017 Top 50 All-brands below.