On the Belgian car market, where company cars account for more than 60% of registrations, no electric model has made a louder entrance this year than the Kia EV3. With 39% of its cars sold being purely EVs, Kia scores higher than the Belgian market average of 33%.
And by launching a new EV4, EV5, and even its first commercial van and people mover, it is pushing ahead with the most complete line of EVs, covering all segments. Except for the smallest A-city car segment, for the time being. However, a Kia EV2 is looming in the shadows; an EV1 might be too?
What began as a promising newcomer has rapidly become a market-shaping force: the compact electric EV3 SUV is now the most-ordered company car in Belgium during the first half of 2025. That is, at least according to leasing company Arval BNP Paribas, which also includes Kia Lease. The EV3 overtakes the popular Skoda Elroq and the BMW iX1, for instance.
That surge has propelled Kia to an unprecedented position in the country’s fast-electrifying landscape. Kia now ranks 10th in overall market share and 8th in the EV market in Belgium.
That’s apparently way higher than its ‘mother company’, Hyundai, which is believed to sit somewhere between 15th and 20th position. The Hyundai brand is distributed in Belgium by Astara Western Europe, with no direct links to Kia, which operates independently.
Kia’s rise in Belgium makes more sense when viewed through its history within Hyundai Motor Group: rescued by Hyundai during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Kia rebuilt itself as a design-driven, value-led brand distinct from Hyundai’s broader, global positioning.
For instance, the interior design group at Kia is headed by Jochen Paesen, a Belgian, who was appointed Vice President of Kia’s Interior Design Group in spring 2020.
Strategy paying off
That strategy has paid off exceptionally well in Europe, where Kia’s sharp styling, strong pricing, and fast-advancing EV line-up resonate strongly with private buyers and, crucially, with fleet managers who dominate the Belgian market.
In the Netherlands, Kia is performing even stronger than in Belgium, consistently ranking among the country’s best-selling brands with a market share above 9%, a level that puts it well ahead of its position in most European markets.
While Hyundai continues to perform steadily, it is Kia that currently captures the EV spotlight. Globally, Hyundai remains the larger-volume player, but in Europe, where electrification is accelerating, Kia’s momentum is shifting the group’s internal balance, with Belgium now one of the clearest examples of Kia taking the lead.
Total Cost of Ownership matters
The EV3’s performance is no coincidence. Fleet managers—historically cautious about switching to full electric—have embraced the model en masse because it ticks the boxes that matter most in Belgium’s tax-driven corporate market: convincing real-world range, fast charging capability, comfort, and, above all, a highly competitive total cost of ownership (TCO).
But it seems to appeal to private buyers as well, who tend not to know what TCO means for their car but still focus on the initial purchase price, which is higher than that of an ICE car.
In Flanders, where electric cars are still exempt – for the time being – from both the one-off registration tax (BIV) and the annual road tax, the Kia EV3 quickly becomes the cheaper option for private drivers who put serious mileage on the clock.
Over eight years and 160,000 kilometers, the electric SUV’s running costs undercut a comparable gasoline model, such as the Volkswagen T-Roc, by a wide margin, despite the EV3’s slightly higher purchase price.
With mostly home charging, the EV3’s energy costs remain low, saving roughly €6,700 in fuel expenses compared with the T-Roc. Combined with the tax advantage and lower maintenance costs, total savings over eight years easily reach €10,000-€12,000.
Even if you rely partly on public charging, the EV3 retains a solid financial edge thanks to zero-emission tax benefits and lower servicing, making it the more intelligent choice for drivers covering substantial mileage. If the annual mileage drops to 10,000 km, the picture changes slightly, but the conclusion remains the same. The EV wins.
Chaining titles together
Kia’s compact SUV’s appeal was secured by grasping the link2fleet ‘ZE Company Car of the Year 2025’ title, voted by 600 professionals, confirming its strong foothold in the leasing world.
That momentum has reshaped Kia’s presence in Belgium. With 39% of its sales now fully electric, Kia significantly outperforms the overall Belgian EV average of 33%. In the broader EV market, Kia has climbed to eighth place, an impressive showing for a brand that, only a few years ago, was still seen primarily as a challenger.
Its success is mirrored on the awards circuit. Within months, the EV3 collected an unprecedented trio of accolades: World Car of the Year 2025, Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (Best Compact SUV), and a second-place finish in the European Car of the Year competition, scoring the highest number of votes ever awarded to a Kia model.
Kia’s Belgian network is visibly transforming. Dealerships are delivering EV3 fleets to hospitals, municipalities, and police zones. The brand gains visibility with the EV6 GT, even as a safety car on the world-famous Belgian F1 circuit at Spa-Francorchamps.
EV4 and EV5 broadening scope
These high-performance halo models, such as the EV6 GT and EV9 GT, showcase the brand’s technological depth, while new additions like the EV4 and EV5 aim to broaden the electric offering further.
The EV4, a 4.4-meter compact four and five-door models built on the same modern platform as the EV3, will target Belgian buyers who want an accessible yet fully fledged family EV. It’s currently priced between €39,990 and €52,990 for the long-range luxury GT-line version.
With long-range versions, European-tuned comfort, and pricing starting just below the EV5, it fills the gap between small crossovers and traditional compact hatchbacks. In this segment, electrification is accelerating rapidly.
The larger EV5, to be one of the eye-catchers at the Kia booth on the upcoming Brussels Motor Show, at prices between 45,990 and 52,990 euros, pushes Kia firmly into the core family-SUV space.
With up to 530 km WLTP range, a very generous 566-liter boot, and a price starting around €45,990, it offers electric practicality on par with popular gasoline and hybrid crossovers.
Light-commercial van market
Kia is also preparing to shake up the light-commercial and people-mover market with the arrival of the new PV5 range, offered as both a Passenger version and a Cargo van.
Built on Kia’s dedicated PBV platform and produced in a brand-new factory in Korea, the PV5 aims directly at the booming electrified fleet segment. The Passenger model seats five (and later seven) and offers more than 400 km of range.
At the same time, the Cargo version provides up to 5 m³ of load volume, the lowest loading height in its class, and an electric range of up to 416 km — features that have already earned it the title of International Van of the Year 2026.
Kia is offering competitive pricing: €37,690 VAT inclusive for the people mover and €32,250 VAT exclusive for the van. That, together with strong fleet connectivity with open-source software, should position the PV5 for Kia as a serious challenger not only in private EVs but also in the professional mobility market.
