Belgium September 2023: Citroen (+63.3%), BMW (+56.5%) shine, incl. exclusive YTD models data

The Citroen C3 is up to #6 year-to-date.

The Belgium new car market continues on its fantastic run with a 25.4% year-on-year lift in September to 38,906. The year-to-date volume is now up 31.8% to 374,848. We are still 14.7% below the pre-pandemic result for the first 9 months of 2019 (439,254). Company fleet sales represent a whopping 68% of the YTD volume (254,835 sales) vs. 62.2% over the same period in 2022 and 57.4% in pre-pandemic 2019. The segmentation by fuel type is wildly different between private buyers and companies. Private buyers go for petrol cars at 67.7%, HEV at 13.7% and diesel at 6.8% whereas PHEV hold 5% and BEV 4.9%. For fleet sales, petrol is at just 32.4%, PHEV at 27.7%, BEV at 24.7%, diesel at 10.6% and HEV at 4.5%. In fact, 91.5% of all BEV and 92.2% of all PHEV are registered by companies.

Volkswagen (+26.4%) matches the market to repeat at #1 and lodge its third pole position in the past 4 months. It however remains far below BMW (+56.5%) in the year-to-date order. Mercedes (+26.3%) scores a strong month at 9.3% share vs. 7.3% so far this year, but Audi (+53.6%) and Citroen (+63.3%) are much more dynamic. Kia (+44.3%) is the only remaining Top 10 member to beat the market. Below, MG (+804.5%), Jeep (+265.8%) and Alfa Romeo (+117.1%) are among the biggest gainers.

Like every quarter we also have access to year-to-date models data. The Tesla Model Y has now overtaken the Volvo XC40 for the title of Belgium’s best-seller, while the BMW X1 climbs to a splendid third place. The Dacia Sandero is down to #4 while the Toyota Yaris drops to #5. The Citroen C3 gains two spots vs. H1 to #6, distancing the Mini Cooper while the Peugeot 308 is up one to #8. The VW Golf surges from #15 over H1 to #9 and the Audi Q3 is up from #19 to #10. Other improving models include the BMW X3 up to #12 and the Renault Clio up to #13.

There’s also a Top 5 by region, fuel type and buyer type. The Tesla Model Y takes the lead in Flanders while the Dacia Sandero remains 1st in Wallonia and the Volvo XC40 leads in Brussels. The best-selling petrol model is once again the Dacia Sandero above the Citroen C3, the BMW 1 Series tops the diesel charts ahead of three Peugeots (308, 3008 and 5008), below the Tesla Model Y, the VW ID.4, Audi Q4 and VW ID.3 are the best-selling BEVs, the Volvo XC40 remains the #1 PHEV above the Volvo XC60 and the Toyota Yaris stays #1 HEV ahead of the Corolla and C-HR. Companies go for the Tesla Model Y and Volvo XC40 while private buyers favour the Dacia Sandero and Toyota Yaris, with 3 Dacias in the Top 5 (add the Duster at #3 and Jogger at #5). 

Previous month: Belgium August 2023: Audi, Tesla impress in market up 27.3%

One year ago: Belgium September 2022: Skoda (+82%), Dacia (+67.8%) highlight market up 16.8%

Full September 2023 Top 63 All brands and YTD Top 20 models, Top 5 models by region, by fuel type and by buyer type below.