Italy January 2025: Fiat back to #1, Dacia breaks share record

Dacia holds 8.6% of the Italian market in January, a new record.

The Italian new car market starts the year in negative in January at -5.9% to 133,692 units. UNRAE now predicts a total 2025 volume at 1,550,000 units, down -0.6% on 2024 and -19% on pre-pandemic 2019. Sales of electrified vehicles remain weak: BEVs fall from 5.5% share in December to 5% and PHEVs are at 3.6% vs. 3.4% in December. As a result ECVs are stuck at 8.6%, one of the lowest shares in Europe. Private sales are off -3.8% to 84,778 and 63% share vs. 61.1% a year ago, self registrations edge down -1.7%, long term leases drop -13.6% to 26,501, short term rentals sink -23.4% to 4,504 and company sales fall -6.4% to 7,531.

The brands ranking is back to some kind of normality. After being outsold for 5 consecutive months,   Fiat (+0.1%) is back up to #1 with 11.9% share, its highest since February 2024, after falling to a lowest ever 5.9% and #5 in December. This is spurred by a resurgence of the Panda which accounts for 84% of the brand’s sales for the month but still without the addition of the new Grande Panda, on sale in March. Meanwhile, in 2nd place Dacia (+11.1%) shatters its share record at 8.6%, vs. a previous best of 7.8% last July. Toyota (+0.1%) is stable a #3 ahead of Volkswagen (-9.3%) and Peugeot (-12.4%) both struggling year-on-year. Audi (+5%), BMW (+2.1%) and Renault all beat the market with positive results. Below, MG (+45.6%), Mercedes (+41.6%) and Alfa Romeo (+17.7%) stand out.  

Ove in the models ranking, as mentioned above the Fiat Panda (+19.6%) rallies back up to 10% share vs. just 4.2% in December. The Dacia Sandero (-15.7%) stays in 2nd place but falls heavily, it is followed by the Jeep Avenger (+6.7%) and Citroen C3 (-2.8%) exchanging their ranking vs. December. The Dacia Duster (+44.7%) breaks its share record a 3.3%, eclipsing the 3.2% it hit back in August 2019. The Peugeot 208 (+21.8%) and Toyota Yaris (+76.3%) also post fantastic gains below. Notice also the Fiat 600 up 24 spots on last month to #21, the Alfa Romeo Junior up six to a record #26 and the MG 3 breaking into the Top 30 for the first time at #30.

Previous month: Italy Full Year 2024: Fiat outsold for 5 consecutive months

One year ago: Italy January 2024: Dacia hits record 2nd place, Jeep Avenger at #4

Full January 2025 Top 51 All brands and Top 50 models below.