Italy Full Year 2020: Market falls -27.7% to weakest since 2014, Fiat hits lowest volume since 1959

The Fiat 500 was the best-selling electric vehicle in Italy in December. Picture quattroruote.it

Consult over 90 years of Italian Historical Data here.

New car sales in Italy are off -27.7% year-on-year in 2020 to 1.393.556 units, the lowest annual figure since 2014 (1.359.616). Private sales resist markedly better at -19.1% to 885.756 and 63.6% vs. 56.8% in 2019. Rental sales are off -34.7% to 301.679 and 21.6% share vs. 24% last year, including 63.462 short-term rentals (-54.3%) and 213.281 leases (-24.5%). Company sales (-44.4%) are the worst hit at 206.121 and 14.8% share vs. 19.2%. Looking at sales by fuel type, all the traditional ICE types fall faster than the market: petrol is off -38.7% to 523.140 and 37.5% share vs. 44.3% in 2019, diesel is down -40.2% to 461.274 and 33.1% share vs. 40% and GPL drops -31.1% to 94.260 and 6.8% share vs. 7.1%. In contrast, HEV soars 103% to 223.321 and 16% share vs. 5.7% in 2019, BEV surges 207.6% to 32.538 and 2.3% share vs. 0.5% last year and PHEV is up 319.1% to 27.408 and 2% share vs. 0.3%.

Italy – 2020 monthly year-on-year evolution. Source: UNRAE

Brand-wise, sales of homegrown behemoth Fiat (-26.1%) seem to have bottomed out: up from a lowest ever 14.9% in 2019 to 15.3% this year. In terms of volume however, with just under 211.300 units Fiat hits its lowest tally at home in 61 years: since 1959 when it held a gargantuan 76% share. The Top 5 brands are unchanged, with Volkswagen (-27.5%) and Ford (-26.9%) following the market while Renault (-24.6%) and Peugeot (-25.8%) do a bit better. Toyota (-21.1%) posts the best hold in the Top 10 and gains one spot to #6. Citroen (-25.6%) is also up one rank to #7, Jeep (-26.9%) is up two to #8, taking advantage of free falls by Opel (-44.2%) and Dacia (-36.5%). Outside the Top 10, Great Wall (+235.5%), Tesla (+55.1%), Mahindra (+23.7%), DS (+3.9%) and Ferrari (+2%) are up just as Aston Martin (-1.8%), Skoda (-7.4%), DR Motor (-8.4%), Suzuki (-12.6%), Lamborghini (-13.7%) and Porsche (-15.4%) resist.

The Fiat Panda is the best-selling car in Italy for the 9th straight year.

Over in the models ranking, the Fiat Panda (-20%) secures a 9th consecutive annual win and improves its share to 7.9% thanks to the addition of a mild hybrid variant which accounts for 27.5% of its 2020 volume. The Lancia Ypsilon (-26.8%) remains in 2nd place, also helped by a new mild hybrid version representing 33.4% to its 2020 total. The Fiat 500X (-25.2%) is up one spot on 2019 to return to third place, its record ranking at home also hit in 2018 while the Renault Clio (-24.3%) is also up one rank to #4. The Fiat 500 (-11.5%) storms back into the Top 10 at #5 thanks to the new mild hybrid at no less than 50.7% of its 2020 tally and an all-new BEV version which was the best-selling BEV in the country in December and accounts for 6.9% of its 2020 volume in less than two months. With the 500 at #5, Fiat places 3 models inside its home Top 5 vs. just two in the Top 10 last year. The Renault Captur (-9%) is the other success story of the Top 10, up 6 spots on 2019 to #8 and by far the best-selling PHEV vehicle in the country in December. The Dacia Sandero (-20.5%) signs its first Top 10 finish in Italy and the Ford Puma is the best-selling 2020 launch at a splendid #14, it is sold at 71% in hybrid variant.

The Renault Captur is the best-selling PHEV vehicle in Italy in 2020.

Looking at models rankings by fuel type, the Fiat Panda (-39.6%) remains the best-selling petrol vehicle by far and despite a ghastly fall, the Citroen C3 (-24.7%) overtakes the Lancia Ypsilon (-50.8%) while the VW T-Cross (#4), Opel Corsa (#5), Toyota Aygo (#8) and Fiat 500X (#9) all break into the Top 10. The Jeep Compass (-32.7%) is once again the most popular diesel vehicle just as the Fiat 500X (-31.3%) overtakes the Jeep Renegade (-39%) for #2 and the Peugeot 3008 and Nissan Qashqai remain #4 and #5 respectively. In the HEV charts, Toyota’s domination is shattered, with the Fiat Panda landing directly at #1 and toppling the Toyota Yaris (#2), the Ford Puma at #3, Fiat 500 at #4 and Lancia Ypsilon at #5. The Renault Captur, Jeep Compass and Volvo XC40 are the best-selling PHEV vehicles for the year. Finally in the BEV charts, the Renault Zoe (+150.9%) topples the Smart Fortwo (+59.8%) with the Tesla Model 3 (+72.5%) and VW Up! in tow. The Fiat 500 ranked #1 in December and lands directly at #5 for the year.

Previous month: Italy November 2020: Toyota Yaris (+57%), Fiat 500 (+76.8%) can’t prevent market back down -8.2%

Previous year: Italy 2019: Fiat down to lowest-ever 14.9% share and 3rd lowest volume in 60 years, Dacia Duster up to #3

Two years ago: Italy 2018: Fiat down 19.8% to 60-year low share, Renault Clio (#2) and Jeep Renegade (#5) break records

Full December 2020 Top 45 All-brands and Top 50 models below.

Full Year 2020 Top 45 All-brands, Top 50 models and Top 10 models by fuel type vs. Full Year 2019 below.