Italy February 2023: Volkswagen (+56.6%), Dacia (+51.6%), Toyota (+46.5%) race up in market at +17.5%

Volkswagen sales are up 56.6% year-on-year in January.

New car sales in Italy soar 17.5% year-on-year in February to 130,365 units, keeping in mind February 2022 was down -22.6% on the year prior. The year-to-date cume stands at 258,689, up 18.2% over the first two months of 2022. Private sales vastly trail the market at +2.9% to 71,912 sales and 54.3% share vs. 62.1% in February 2022. Self-registrations drop -6.4% to 9,811 and 7.4% share vs. 9.3% las year, long term leases shoot up 54.8% to 35,061 and 26.5% share vs. 20.1%, short term rentals surge 147.7% to 6,457 and 4.9% share vs. 2.3% and company sales gain 32.7% to 9,120 and 6.9% share vs. 6.1%. Year-to-date, private sales are up just 6.4% to 151,800 and 57.9% share vs. 64.4% over the same period in 2022, self-registrations edge down -2% to 21,453 and 8.2% share vs. 9.9%. Long term leases soar 59.5% to 64,070 and 24.4% share vs. 18.1% in 2022, short term rentals shoot up 103.9% to 8,012 and 3.1% share vs. 1.8% and company sales are up 31.7% to 16,952 and 6.5% share vs. 5.8%.

In terms of fuel source, petrol gains 16.5% to 34,591 and 26.1% share vs. 26.4% a year ago, diesel edges up 1.5% to 25,363 and 19.2% share vs. 22.2% in February 2022 and LPG improves 44.1% to 13,310 and 10.1% share vs. 8.2%. HEV gain 25.3% to 48,312 and 36.5% share vs. 34.3% last year, including 12,991 full hybrids (+33.9%) and 35,321 mild hybrids (+22.4%). PHEV are up 2.2% to 5,615 and 4.2% share vs. 4.9% and BEV are up 54.7% to 4,914 and 3.7% share vs. 2.8% a year ago. Year-to-date, petrol is up 16.1% to 68,920 and 26.3% share vs. 26.8% over the same period in 2022, diesel is up 9.8% to 50,093 and 19.1% share vs. 20.6% and LPG soars 38.3% to 26,689 and 10.2% share vs. 8.7%. HEV are up 25.5% to 96,024 and 36.6% share vs. 34.5% a year ago, including 25,599 full hybrids (+24.6%) and 70.425 mild hybrids (+25.9%). PHEV are up 6.2% to 11,751 and 4.5% share vs. 5% and BEV gain 20.8% to 8,258 and 3.1% share, unchanged.

Brand-wise, Fiat (-4.7%) goes against the positive market with a disappointing loss that pulls it to just 11.7% share. In contrast Volkswagen (+56.6%), Toyota (+46.5%) and Dacia (+51.6%) all post sensational upticks and keep the Top 4 brands unchanged on January. Ford (-14.1%) struggles year-on-year but is back up two spots on January to #5. Jeep (+32.8%), Renault (+28.8%) and Audi (+27.3%) also frankly beat the market in the remainder of the Top 10. Below, DR Motor (+181.7%) continues to surge ahead, Alfa Romeo (+172.4%) is pushed up by the new Tonale, Tesla (+370.6%) is up 10 ranks on last month to #25, Cupra (+142.8%) remains above sister brand Seat (-15.8%) and Lynk & Co (+191%), MG (+137.4%), Land Rover (+117.7%), Maserati (+103.9%), Porsche (+83.1%), Nissan (+54.2%) and Lamborghini (+50%) also impress.

Over in the models charts, the Fiat Panda (-21.2%) freefalls but easily keeps the pole position with 6.1% share, its lowest since last June. The remainder of the Top 7 all post spectacular gains and beat the market. The Dacia Sandero (+79.2%) is up one spot on January to a record 2nd place it also held in January, June and November 2022. The Sandero now ranks #2 year-to-date. The Fiat 500 (+109.5%) is even more impressive year-on-year at #3, followed by the Jeep Renegade (+67.1%) and VW T-Roc (+657.7%). The Toyota Yaris Cross (+118.5%) is up three spots on January to #6 ahead of the Citroen C3 (+20.5%). The Dacia Duster (+9.8%), Renault Captur (+6%) and Ford Puma (-19.7%) close the Top 10 with muted to disappointing results. 

Previous month: Italy January 2023: Audi (+54.5%), Jeep (+45.6%), Volkswagen (+39.9%) highlight market up 19%

One year ago: Italy February 2022: Dacia (+14%) one of the only islands of growth in market burdened -22.6%

Full February 2023 Top 45 all brands and Top 50 models below.