Kia dominates the Dutch automotive market thanks to EV3 and Picanto
Kia was not the most popular car brand in the Netherlands in June, and the most popular car in June was not a Kia either. However, this doesn’t bother Kia at all, as it is the absolute king of the Dutch automotive market.
The Tesla Model Y was the most registered new passenger car in the Netherlands in June, and Renault was the brand that registered the most cars in that month. The Kia EV3 was already dethroned by the Skoda Elroq in May as the most popular car in the Netherlands, and Renault’s victory in June also ended Kia’s monthly top position. Is Kia losing sleep over that? Probably not. In fact, the brand probably isn’t losing a second of sleep over it. If we add up the figures for the first six months, Kia is untouchable. It is even a four-time winner!
Most popular car brands in the Netherlands – January-June 2025
Of all 182,680 new passenger cars registered in the Netherlands in the first six months of this year, no fewer than 19,632 were a Kia. This gave Kia a market share of 10.75 percent. In other words, more than one in ten of all new cars registered in the Netherlands this year was a Kia. Toyota is in second place with 12,595 registrations and a market share of 6.89 percent. Volkswagen is close behind Toyota and is in third place with 12,558 units. BMW is in fourth place with 11,780 units. The winner of June is in fifth place over the first half of the year. We are talking about Renault. Renault registered 10,878 new cars and accounted for a market share of almost six percent.
Top 5 most registered models – January-June 2025
In the top 5 of the most popular models in the first half of 2025, we find no fewer than three Kias. It should come as no surprise that the Kia EV3 is the absolute number one. Of these, 6,274 have been registered this year. Almost a third (32 percent) of all cars that Kia registered in the Netherlands in the first six months of this year were therefore an EV3. With that, the electric EV3 remained ahead of the considerably smaller and therefore cheaper Picanto. That is in second place with 4,165 registrations. The Tesla Model Y has taken a significant hit compared to last year. 3,828 units of it have been registered this year. For comparison: in the first half of last year, more than twice as many units were registered (8,066 units). Nevertheless, the Model Y claims a respectable third place. It is still a step above the third Kia in the top 5: the Niro. In fifth place is the brand new and extremely popular Skoda Elroq. We will probably see it higher in the rankings later this year.
Most popular electric cars – Jan-June 2025
The fact that the Kia EV3 was the most popular new car in the Netherlands in the first half of 2025 also means that it is the most popular new EV in our country. One in ten of all new electric cars registered this year was an EV3. The fact that the Tesla Model Y finishes in second place in this Top 5 is not surprising, nor is the fact that the Elroq claims third place. After all, they are also in the regular models top 5. In fourth place is the Tesla Model 3, followed by the Volvo EX30. The usual suspects therefore.
Top 5 EV brands – January-June 2025
The fourth and last of the four golden trophies that Kia receives, it wins because it also registered the most electric cars in the first half of 2025. More than 8,150 units. With that, Kia stayed ahead of Tesla and Volvo. BMW and Skoda follow in positions four and five.