Italy April 2018: Renault Clio hits highest ever #2 in market up 6.4%

The Renault Clio is up to 2nd place overall in Italy in April – its highest ever monthly ranking.

* See the Top 45 brands and Top 50 models by clicking on the title *

New car sales in Italy are up 6.4% year-on-year in April to 172.181 registrations, meaning the YTD volume is back in positive territory at +0.3% to 750.829 units. For once private sales are solid this month: up 5.4% to 91.985 and 53.4% share vs. 53.9 a year ago, but they remain down YTD at -7.8% to 394.755 and 52.6% share vs. 57.2% over the same period last year. Sales to rental car companies continue to flourish at +11.8% to 46.259 and 26.9% share vs. 25.6% in April 2017, with YTD volumes up 12% to 207.260 and 27.6% share vs. 24.7% a year ago. In the detail, short-term rentals are up just 1.5% to 21.931 while leases single-handedly pull the channel up at +23.1% to 24.328. YTD, short-terms are up 7.8% to 97.792 and leases are up 16.1% to 109.468. Company sales are the weakest channel this month at just +2.3% to 33.937 units and 19.7% share vs. 20.5% a year ago but they are up 10% YTD to 148.814 and 19.8% share vs. 18.1%. Diesel sales are down 3.7% in April but remain ultra-dominant at 90.901 units and 52.8% share (58.4% a year ago) and 411.089 YTD (-2.7%) for a 54.8% share vs. 56.4% in 2017. Petrol sales surge 16.2% to 59.017 and 34.3% share (31.4% a year ago), now in positive YTD up 0.8% to at 248.917. GPL sales are up 9.8% to 10.684, Hybrids up 53% to 7.218 and Pure electrics up 96% to 243.

Over in the brands ranking, Fiat sadly posts a seventh consecutive year-on-year decline and a fifth double-digit drop in the past 6 months at -12% to 17.3% share, also its fifth month below 18% of the market in the past seven. In contrast, Volkswagen soars 30% to 8.4% share in second place, bring its YTD uplift to +14% to 8.3% of the market. Renault (+1%) overtakes Ford (+8%) to snap the third step of the podium just as Toyota (+13%), Peugeot (+15%), Citroen (+21%) and most startlingly Jeep (+125%!) all manage very robust improvements inside the Top 10. Outside, Kia (+47%) is up 7 spots on March to #11, with DR Motor (+172%), Jaguar (+146%), Ferrari (+95%), Seat (+50%), Tesla (+42%), Lexus (+41%), Lamborghini (+36%), Skoda (+31%), Mitsubishi (+28%), Nissan (+26%), Suzuki (+24%) and Mini (+13%) also in great shape.

The Renegade hits its highest ever share and helps Jeep up 125% year-on-year in April. Picture quattroruote.it

No surprise atop the Italian models charts: the Fiat Panda reigns supreme even though it sinks 26% year-on-year this month (-27% YTD). The Renault Clio rallies back up 6 spots on March to land at #2 despite a 5% year-on-year drop. According to our records, this is the Clio’s best-ever monthly ranking in Italy. We could find four occurrences where the Clio ranked #3 (April 1993, Sept 2002, Oct 2002 and March 2003) but none at #2, although our monthly coverage of Italy during the nineties is a little patchy. If you have info showing the Clio ranked #2 monthly in Italy at any stage since the launch of the nameplate in 1990, please get in touch. The Clio distances the Fiat 500X (+33%), Lancia Ypsilon continuing its descent to hell (-25%), the Fiat 500 (+8%) and Fiat Tipo already panting at -23%. 52.8% of Tipo sales go to the station wagon variant in April vs. 41.9% YTD.

The Jeep Renegade hits its largest ever market share in Italy at 2.35% (previous best 2.27% in August 2016), its highest ever ranking at #7 (also hit last December) and its second largest monthly volume at 4.046 (record is 4.281 March 2017). Its big brother the Jeep Compass continues to shine at #13, with the Toyota C-HR (+75%), Nissan Micra (+70%), VW Golf (+70%), Alfa Romeo Stelvio (+63%), Kia Picanto (+59%), Ford Ecosport (+56%), Kia Sportage (+49%), Audi A4 (+35%), Nissan Qashqai (+30%) and VW Tiguan (+27%) all lodging spectacular gains in the Top 50. Among recent launches, below the Jeep Compass the VW T-Roc is down 2 spots on March to #26, the Citroen C3 Aircross is up 3 to #29 and the Opel Crossland X up 11 to a record #32, outselling the Opel Mokka for the first time to become the brand’s best-selling crossover.

Previous month: Italy March 2018: Fiat (-20%), Lancia (-37%) dive, Jeep (+77%) soars

One year ago: Italy March-April 2017: Fiat Tipo steps up

Full April 2018 Top 45 brands and Top 50 models below.