Italy March 2023: Toyota Yaris Cross on podium, Peugeot 3008 #8, sales up 40.8%

First podium finish for the Toyota Yaris Cross in Italy.

Coming off very weak year-ago volumes, new car sales in Italy lift 40.8% year-on-year in March to 168,294 units, simply returning to its March 2021 level (171,064. The year-to-date tally is up 26.2% to 427,019 sales, still -20.6% off the 538,060 units of the first quarter of 2019. As it is also the case in Spain, private sales vastly trail the market at +16.7% to 86,198 units and 50.7% share vs. 60.8% in March 2022. Year-to-date, private sales edge up 10% to 238,047 and 55% share vs. 63.1% over the first quarter of 2022. Self registrations are up 31% to 14,006 for the month and up 8.8% to 35,471 YTD. Long term leases surge 90.2% to 46,672 and 27.4% share vs. 20.2% a year ago and are up 71.7% YTD to 111,099 and 25.7% vs. 18.9% over the same period in 2022. Short term rentals are in even better shape at +178.2% to 12,823 units and 7.5% share vs. 3.8% and up 140% YTD to 20,493 and 4.7% share vs. 2.5%. Finally company sales grow 34.5% to 10,466 and are up 32.9% YTD to 27,460.

Looking at sales by alimentation, petrol climbs 45.9% in March to 48,353 and 28.4% share vs. 27.3% in March 2022 and is up 26.8% YTD to 117,284 and 27.1% share vs. 27% last year. Diesel holds itself well for a change at +35.1% to 34,495 sales and 20.3% share vs. 21% and up 18.9% YTD to 84,647 and 19.6% share vs. 20.8% a year ago. LPG is up a measured 15% to 12,925 for the month and up 29.7% to 39,620 YTD. HEV are up 48.2% to 58,673 and 34.5% share vs. 32.6% a year ago, that includes 15,921 full hybrids (+43.3%) and 42,752 mild hybrids (+50.1%). Year-to-date HEV sales are up 33.3% to 154,735 and 35.8% vs. 33.8% in 2022, including 41,528 full hybrids (+31.2%) and 113,207 mild hybrids (+34.1%). PHEV sals are up a disappointing 19.6% to 7,337 and up 11% YTD to 19,090. Finally BEV soar 81.5% to 8,195 and 4.8% share vs. 3.7% in March 2022 and gain 45% YTD to 16,455 and 3.8% share vs. 3.3% last year.

In the brands ranking, Fiat only manages a +11.4% year-on-year gain and falls to its 2nd lowest market share ever at home at 10.3% (worst is 9.9% in pandemic-disrupted March 2020). The Italian carmaker is up just 6.1% year-to-date to 11.9% share vs. 13.6% over the Full Year 2022. Volkswagen (+31.7%) also trails the market to a weak 7% share in 2nd place while Peugeot (+60.4%) is up four spots on February to close out the podium. Toyota (+32.7%), Ford (+28.1%) and Dacia (+16.1%) follow but all lose market share year-on-year. Jeep (+81%) and Opel (+50.7%) both beat the market in the remainder of the Top 10 while Renault (+40.2%) matches it. Below, MG (+339.6%) breaks its volume (2,378) and share (1.4%) records with Alfa Romeo (+267.1%), DR Motor (+206.4%), Tesla (+175.7%), Cupra (+125.5%), Nissan (+106%), Mini (+75.8%) and Hyundai (+70.5%) also in outstanding shape.

Model-wise, the Fiat Panda (-2.8%) stumbles down to its lowest market share since August 2021 at 5.9%. The Lancia Ypsilon (+40.2%) rallies back up 10 spots on February to land at #2 and now ranks #4 year-to-date. The Toyota Yaris Cross (+161.1%) manages its first ever Italian podium finish at #3, eclipsing its previous best of #5 hit in December 2021 and January 2022. The Opel Corsa (+113.8%) and Jeep Renegade (+94.2%) also post outlandish results to round out the Top 5. The Dacia Sandero (+35.7%) falls four ranks on last month to #6 with the Citroen C3 (-20.8%) in a rut at #7 vs. #2 a year ago in March 2022. The Peugeot 3008 (+144.1%) is up 9 spots on February to #8, the nameplate’s second highest monthly ranking in Italy below the #7 it reached in March 2020.

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

One year ago: Italy March 2022: Citroen C3 up to record #2, Dacia (+26%) defies market off -29.7%

Full March 2023 Top 45 brands and Top 50 models below.