The number of new cars licensed in January rose by 973 vehicles (6%) compared with January 2022 with 15% electric vehicles, compared with 11% in January 2022.

One fifth of new private cars licensed last month were diesel, which was the same as in January 2022.

The number of used cars licensed in January decreased by 9% compared with January 2022 (3,362 versus 3,686).

Diesel imports

There were 1,280 used (imported) diesel private cars licensed in January 2023, compared with 1,584 in January 2022, a fall of 19%. A full 5,819 new cars licensed were petrol cars compared with 4,342 in January 2022.

Toyota (3,293) was the most popular make, followed by Hyundai (2,357), Volkswagen (1,499), Skoda (1,276) and Kia (1,153). Together, these five makes represent more than half (57%) of all new private cars licensed.

Statistician Nele van der Wielen said that growth continued in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, up by 40% from 1,813 last year to 2,531 in January 2023.