The decline in car registrations in the Netherlands moderated in February 2026, signaling a partial recovery after a steep drop at the start of the year. According to the latest data updated on 24 March 2026, car registrations fell by 21.0% month-over-month in February, compared with a sharper 41.7% month-over-month decline in January 2026.
The figures are based on a month-over-month comparison, where the February result reflects the change versus January, and the January reading reflects the change versus December. While the sector remains in contraction territory, the significantly smaller decline in February suggests that the slump in registrations may be easing after a particularly weak start to the year. Investors and industry observers will be watching upcoming monthly data to see whether this improvement develops into a more stable trend.
