Mitsubishi Motors is resuming sales of new cars in Belgium through its Dutch subsidiary, starting in Q4 2025 after four years of inactivity in Europe.
The latest offensive will begin with the world premiere in Brussels on September 17 of the fully electric Eclipse Cross, alongside a new Grandis SUV in Mild and Full Hybrid variants.
According to the official press release, the new cars will be sold in Belgium through a network of dealers appointed by Mitsubishi Motor Sales Nederland (MMSN), a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Motors.
Beherman Motors, which was the sole official Mitsubishi importer for Belgium and Luxembourg since May 2024, will still play a role in this until the end of January 2026, importing spare parts and delivering services. From February next year, Mitsubishi Motors Netherlands will take over entirely, both parties confirmed.
Four ‘electrified’ models
The range to be offered through these new dealerships also includes the popular ASX and the recently introduced Outlander PHEV in Europe. With these models, Mitsubishi Motors is active in the critical B–SUV, C–SUV, and D–SUV segments. Together, these segments account for almost half of all new sales in Belgium during the first half of 2025, according to DataForce.
Frank Krol, President & CEO of Mitsubishi Motors: “Our new model range is an excellent fit for the Belgian market. We offer competitive SUVs across all major segments, featuring electrified powertrains. Belgium is the sixth-largest car market in Europe. So this is a logical step in our growth strategy.”
Belgium, the bigger car market
With 476,675 new cars registered in 2024, Belgium, with its 11.8 million inhabitants, has a larger car market compared to the Netherlands, which has 344,624 new vehicles for 17.8 million inhabitants.
Still, Mitsubishi has always been more popular in the Netherlands, with an estimated fleet of over 70,000 vehicles on the road today, compared to around 30,000 in Belgium.
The main driver was the Outlander, one of the first lifelike plug-in hybrids (PHEV) available in Europe, which became ‘hot’ in the Netherlands due to early tax benefits. As of December 2017, it had over 25,000 registrations, making it the all-time best‑selling plug-in hybrid in the country.
However, Belgium and Luxembourg were Mitsubishi’s first official markets in Europe, starting in 1974, ahead of the UK, Germany, or the Netherlands. The Lancer and Galant were introduced in 1975 at the Brussels and London Motor Shows, laying the foundation for Mitsubishi’s European presence.
Moorkens importer until 2003
Until 2003, Mitsubishi vehicles in Belgium were distributed by Moorkens, which later became the Alcopa Group. Moorkens also imported Suzuki, Isuzu, and Hyundai, among others. Alcopa is now part of the Spanish automotive group Astara.
On October 1, 2003, Mitsubishi Motors Europe (MME) established Mitsubishi Motors Belgium NV, a wholly owned subsidiary based in Antwerp. This shift led to a restructuring of the dealership network, with around 40 authorized dealers continuing under the new system.
Success in the nineties
The 1990s and early 2000s were successful years for Mitsubishi in Belgium, with models like the Colt, Pajero, Outlander, and Space Star performing well. Some models were built in the NedCar plant in Born, the Netherlands (e.g., Carisma, Colt) starting in 1995.
Mitsubishi reached its peak in Europe around 2007-2008, with over 340,000 vehicles sold annually. By 2012, the NedCar plant was sold to Dutch company VDL for just €1, and Mitsubishi ceased vehicle production in Europe. NedCar would shift to building MINIs for BMW, but had to close recently after that contract ended.
In 2020, Mitsubishi announced that it would freeze new model launches in Europe due to ongoing losses. By 2021, the brand effectively withdrew from several European markets, including the UK.
Beherman stops as a distributor
In late 2023, Mitsubishi announced its return to Belgium and Luxembourg, this time managed through its Dutch head office, Mitsubishi Motors Europe (MME).
In May 2024, it was confirmed that Beherman Motors—a Belgian distributor known for importing Saab and Mazda—would take over Mitsubishi distribution for Belgium and Luxembourg.
Beherman retained the existing dealer network, staff, and warranty responsibilities and remains the service provider for the rest of this year, as listed on the Mitsubishi Belgium website.
From 2026 on, Mitsubishi Motors Netherlands will take over as official service provider, Marketing Communications Manager Robbert van den Heuvel confirmed.
Focus on Farizon and Fuso eCanter
Beherman Group will focus further on its core business of today, electric light commercial vehicles, specifically importing and launching the Farizon brand—a wholly electric commercial vehicles line under Geely Holding—in the Benelux.
Beherman is also an exclusive importer and distributor of FUSO vehicles (both diesel and eCanter) in Belgium and Luxembourg for Daimler Truck. The Fuso eCanter is a fully electric version, designed for payloads up to 8.55 t gross vehicle weight (GVW).
Farizon’s flagship is the Farizon SV (or SuperVAN), a fully electric van built on Geely’s GXA‑M “skateboard” architecture. This 3.5-ton van comes equipped with wireless updates (OTA), by-wire technology for digital driving (steering and braking), and environmentally friendly biomaterials in the interior.
Featuring a record-low loading threshold of just 550 mm and unique side access due to the lack of a B-style, the SuperVAN offers an intelligent solution for urban deliveries.
Geely’s Multipurpose Architecture (GXA-M) facilitates the customization options for the SuperVAN, which is developed for different formats, ranging from a panel van to a chassis cab – the latter is still an exception in the eLCV market.
