Italy Full Year 2014: Podium 100% Fiat for 2nd time in 15 years

The Fiat Panda is the best-seller at home for the third year running.

* See the Top 285 best-selling models and Top 50 All-brands by clicking on the title *

Yes the Italian market has bottomed out, registering its first year-on-year increase in 7 years at +4% to 1,359,616 registrations vs. 1,304,648 in ‘annus horribilus’ 2013. This is a very shy corner-turning year for Italy as we are still evolving at 35 year lows, with such weak registration levels not seen since the early eighties. One sure sign that demonstrates the Italian new car market is stuck in recession is the fact that the volume gains are led by rentals and sales to companies, representing 65% of the 2014 volume increase. The private sales ratio is down to 62.3%, the lowest in the history of automobile in Italy. In this dark context and in the absence of government measure to spike the market like scrappage schemes, UNRAE predicts a meagre improvement of 3% in 2015 to 1.4 million units.

First podium ranking for the Fiat 500L

Fiat remains master in command at home but improves slower than the market, resulting in a market share shrinking to 20.7% with 281,581 sales. Volkswagen and Ford freeze their ranking and share at #2 and 8.1% and #3 and 6.7% respectively, while Renault benefits from the success of the Clio (+23% and #1 foreigner at #6) and Captur (+78% to #16) to gain one spot and 24% on 2013 to 4th place. Peugeot (+13%), Toyota (+11%), Dacia (+41%), Mini (+10%) and Suzuki (+14%) also improve markedly in the Top 20. Further down, Skoda (+24%), Seat (+28%), Jeep (+94% thanks to the Renegade and Cherokee), Porsche (+51%) and Maserati (+379%) take off.

Lancia Ypsilon

In the models ranking, the Fiat Panda ends an easy year at #1, holding the annual pole position for the third in a row thanks to sales up 3% to 104,352 units and 7.6%, the only nameplate in the peninsula with 6-digit sales figures. In the absence of any major novelty (whereas the model was refreshed in… India this year!), the Fiat Punto sinks 11% to its lowest-ever market share at 4.2% but manages to hold off both the Fiat 500L lodging its first annual podium ranking (+34%) and the Lancia Ypsilon (+10%) – hitting a best-ever #2 in September and October. The Fiat 500 (+7%) rounds up a Top Five 100% Italian for the second year in a row and the second time in 35 years, while the podium is 100% Fiat for only the 2nd time in the past 15 years along with 2008. 2014 also marks the first time the 500L is the 500 family’s best-seller at home, outselling the 500 over a Full Year for the first time. The 500L reign could be short-lived though with the 500X crossover hitting Italian dealerships in 2015…

Peugeot 2008

Thanks to sales up 23%, the Renault Clio becomes the best-selling foreigner in Italy in 2014, ahead of the VW Golf, Ford Fiesta (both up 11%) and VW Polo (-1%), while the Toyota Yaris reclaims a spot in the Top 10 (+14%). The Peugeot 2008 wins the small crossover battle at #15 with deliveries up an astounding 178% to 18,783 for its first full year, beating the Renault Captur (+78%), Dacia Duster (+93%) and Opel Mokka (+113%) with all aforementioned nameplates delivering fantastic results. Notice also the Peugeot 308 up 106% to #39 and the Citroen C4 Picasso up 123% to #40.

Previous post: Italy December 2014: Jeep Renegade in Top 10!

One year ago: Italy Full Year 2013: Top 5 all-Italian for the first time in 30 years

Two years ago: Italy 2012: Fiat Panda ends 18 years of Punto reign in worst market since 1979

Full Year 2014 Top 285 models and Top 50 All-brands Ranking Tables below.