Korean car brand Kia has overtaken Volkswagen as the most popular new car make in the Netherlands, according to 2022 figures from motoring organisations Bovag and Rai Vereniging.

In total, dealers sold 312,000 cars last year, down 3.2% on 2021. Kia emerged as the biggest brand, with a market share of 9.6%, although the Peugeot 208 remained the best selling car. The Kia Picanto was in second place.

Electric cars accounted for 23.5% of the total sales, with the Kia Niro topping the list. In 2021, electric cars had a market share of almost 20%.

The motoring organisations say the decline in sales last year was largely down to delivery problems and the chip shortage, particularly heading towards the end of the year. They expect sales to rise again to 340,000 this year, as delivery issues ease.

In total, over 30,000 Kias hit the Dutch roads last year, followed by almost 26,000 Volkswagens. Toyota, with 25,300 sales, was in third place in the ranking, with Peugeot and BMW in fourth and fifth place.