Turnover in the automotive industry fell in 2025

© ANP / Erik van 't Woud
  • Turnover in both the car and motorcycle sectors fell in 2025.
  • The heavy commercial vehicle sector and importers, in particular, saw a decline in turnover.
  • However, companies in the car sector are positive about the near future.

Turnover in the automotive industry was down by 2.6 percent in 2025, year on year. The decline was particularly pronounced among importers and in the heavy commercial vehicle sector. However, for the first time in four years, entrepreneurs in both the car and motorcycle sectors are optimistic about the first quarter of 2026. This is according to the most recent figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

The largest declines were seen among importers (-9.3 percent) and the heavy commercial vehicle sector (-6.4 percent). This is in contrast to the increase in turnover reported in previous years. Sales of heavy commercial vehicles were down by more than 37 percent in 2025. The largest decline was seen in the fourth quarter, when 58.6 percent fewer heavy commercial vehicles were sold than in Q4 2024, a decline of 11 percent year on year.

Decline in turnover for trade and repair of passenger cars despite increase in car sales

The largest sub-sector, trade and repair of passenger cars, saw their turnover fall by 1.8 percent compared to 2024. However, the number of cars sold rose slightly, by around 1.7 percent. Sales of fully electric vehicles (+18.1 percent) and plug-in hybrids (+9.8 percent) increased, in particular.

Sales of fully electric vehicles were up by nearly 50 percent in Q4, year on year, while sales of petrol-powered cars were down by nearly 50 percent.

First positive sentiment in four years

For the first time in over four years, companies in the automotive industry are optimistic about the forthcoming quarter. Business confidence in the automotive industry stood at 5.8 in the first quarter of 2026. Entrepreneurs are more positive about expected economic conditions (9.6) than they are about changes in these conditions (2.1). At the beginning of 2025, business confidence stood at -12.5.

The mood among entrepreneurs in the automotive industry is more positive than in many other sectors, except for the information and communication sector. In 2024, the sentiment indicator in the automotive industry was significantly lower than in most other sectors.

Labour market remains tight

The labour market in the automotive industry remains tight. More than 50 percent of entrepreneurs expect a labour shortage in the first quarter of 2026, the same percentage as last year.

However, the number of unfilled vacancies had fallen to 6,700 by the end of 2025, compared to 8,000 in the first quarter of the same year.

Sources