Netherlands October 2023: Kia and Picanto dominate in first negative market of the year

The Kia Picanto is the best-selling vehicle in the Netherlands for the third time this year.

After 9 consecutive double-digit year-on-year gains, the Dutch new car market falls flat in October at -1.5% to 28,362 units. The year-to-date volume is now up 24.3% to 315,013. It’s a 4th consecutive month at #1 for Kia (+6.8%), yet this isn’t enough to reclaim the #1 YTD spot off Volkswagen (+12.4%), #2 for the month. Toyota (-34.5%) suffers from a high year-ago basis when it topped the charts for the first time in 13 years. Skoda (+49.1%) scores the biggest gain in the Top 10 and advances two spots on last month to #4. Hyundai (+0.4%) for its part is up four to #5 ahead of BMW (+8.1%). Audi (+38.8%) is the only additional Top 10 brand in positive with Volvo (-3.1%) resisting ok and both Peugeot (-24.5%) and Renault (-18.5%) in a rut. Just outside the Top 10, Tesla (+7635.7%) shows here too it has managed to avoid end-of-quarter backloading of its volumes.

The Kia Picanto (+28.7%) defies the lukewarm market to top the models charts for the third time this year after May and July, consolidating its 2nd spot YTD. The Volvo XC40 (-2.8%) and VW Polo (+159.9%) complete the podium with very different evolutions. The Niro (+4.9%) makes it two Kias in the Top 4 like last month. The Tesla Model Y (+10683.3%) goes from 6 sales in October 2022 to 647 this month, falls to #5 vs. #1 in September but easily stays #1 year-to-date with 3.5% share vs. 2.9% for the Picanto. The VW Up (+310.2%) multiplies its year-ago volume by four and climbs 16 ranks on September to #6. The Hyundai i10 (+25.8%) closes the Top 10 where it is the only remaining gainer. 

Previous month: Netherlands September 2023: Tesla, Toyota stand out in market up 16.6%

One year ago: Netherlands October 2022: Toyota (+90.9%) scores first win in 13 years, Opel Corsa #1 in market up 20.4%

Full October 2023 Top 56 All brands and Top 298 All models below.