Traxio: ‘Fewer registrations but noticeable more new private cars’

In the past month of February, slightly fewer second-hand cars were registered, but noticeably more private individuals were interested in new cars.  According to Filip Rylant, spokesperson for Mobility Federation Traxio, “In February, 60,047 used cars were registered, a slight decrease of -0.5% (or 308 units) compared to February 2024, but 6,852 (+12.9%) units more than in 2023.”

In the same month, 40,161 new cars were registered, which is 8.1% less than in February 2024 (43,722) but more than in 2023 (+0.7%) and 2022 (+24.7%)–a positive trend in the longer term.

Brussels Motor Show

The Brussels Motor Show in January probably created more ‘desire’ for new cars, so the market share of new cars purchased by private individuals has risen from less than 40% in 2024 to almost 50% this year.

Several logistical and administrative factors may have delayed the registration of new and second-hand cars–the postal strike, for instance, impacted license plate applications and deliveries.

Brands and models

Volkswagen and BMW dominated the list of most registered second-hand brands during the first two months of 2025. Mercedes completed the top five, ahead of Peugeot and Opel. 

The VW Golf (4,838) remains the most popular model, ahead of the VW Polo (3,643), the Opel Corsa (3,195), the BMW 3 Series (2,664), and the BMW 1 Series (2,582).

Power trains

Gasoline engines still dominate among used cars, with a 55.6% market share, while diesel is losing ground to 27.4%. The share of second-hand cars with a hybrid or electric drive is increasing but remains modest: 16.6% are electrified, 12.7% are hybrid, and 3.9% are fully electric.

The proportions are different for new registrations of passenger cars, where hybrid and electric vehicles make up the majority (70%). The share of fully electric cars even increased from 21.1% to 32.7% in 2025.

Fleet

Consumers are increasingly opting for hybrid cars (HEVs). Their market share increased from 24.7% in February 2024 to 31% in 2025. The share of diesel engines in the new market will decrease even further, from 5.7% last year to 3.4% in 2025.

In February 2025, the average age of used car registrations was 9 years and 3 months. The median age is now 7 years and 3 months, which indicates further fleet aging. More than a quarter (27.2%) are between 5 and 9 years old, while 35% are less than 5 years old.

Private matter

The second-hand market remains a mainly private matter; private individuals made 90.2% of registrations. However, the second-hand seller’s sector specifies that start-up companies more often opt for second-hand cars and are often interested in second-hand hybrid cars.

Flanders continues to dominate the market for second-hand passenger car registrations, with a share of 56.5%. Wallonia’s market share is 36%, while Brussels has 7.5%.