Italy April 2026: Leapmotor T03 repeats at #3, MG ZS up to record #5

Once again the ridiculously cheap Leapmotor T03 ranks #3 in Italy.

Outstanding month for new car sales in Italy at +11.6% year-on-year in April to 155,210 units, leading to a year-to-date volume up 9.8% to 640,083. Strikingly, private sales are up 19.3% to 78,583 and 50.3% share vs. 47% a year ago (+10.2% to 52.5% share YTD), the sign of a healthier market. Self registrations are up 14.7% to 16,105 and 10.3% share vs. 10% in April 2025 (+18.5% to 9.5% share YTD), Long term leases are down -7.2% to 33,112 and 21.2% share vs. 25.5% (down -4% to 21.1% share YTD), short term rentals soar 22.9% to 20,469 and 13.1% share vs. 11.9% (up 42% to 11.8% share YTD) and company sales edge up 4% to 8,079 and 5.2% share vs. 5.6% (up 1.5% to 5.1% share YTD).

HEV sales are up 24% to 76,808 and 49.1% share vs. 44.2% a year ago, including 25,851 full hybrids (+45.1%) and 50,957 mild hybrids (+15.5%), PHEVs surge 75.3% to 14,184 and 9.1% share vs. 5.7% in April 2025 and BEVs double their sales year-on-year (+98.6%) to 8.5% share vs. 4.8%. This means rechargeable vehicles are up 85.8% to 27,422 and 17.6% share vs. 10.5% a year ago.

In the brands ranking, Fiat (+31%) continues to catch up on poor year-ago results but can only muster a 10.3% share, by far its lowest this year. It holds 12.1% of its home market year-to-date. Toyota (+7.3%) returns to the 2nd spot it holds year-to-date ahead of Volkswagen (+1%). Peugeot (-7.5%) is up three ranks on last month to #4 and despite a YoY loss. Dacia (-2.3%) stabilises its sales at #5 but is still down -22% YTD. Audi (+15.5%) performs very well in the remainder of the Top 10 but drops to #8. Mercedes (+32%) is also strong at #12 while BYD (+171.7%) is up to #14, Leapmotor (+1300.6%) stays at #16 and Omoda+Jaecoo (+310.8%) breaks all its records at #18 with 3,857 sales and 2.5% share.

As for models, the Fiat Panda (-3%) falls further to 5.5% share, its lowest since last November, compared with 7.1% YTD. The Jeep Avenger (-19%) confirms it is now a solid 2nd best-seller despite a harsh YoY fall. Once again the event of the month is the third place of the €4,900 Leapmotor T03 (+1725.9%), “cheaper than a bike” says the advertising campaign, and having accumulated almost 15,000 sales since the start of the year (#4). Below the Dacia Sandero (+5.3%), the MG ZS (+38.7%) rallies back up nine spots on March to land at #5, simply the model’s highest ever monthly ranking in Italy. The Fiat Grande Panda (+3093.1%) falls again month-on-month to #6, could it have peaked already?

Previous month: Italy March 2026: Leapmotor T03 on podium

One year ago: Italy April 2025: Jeep Avenger breaks all records

Full April 2026 Top 58 All brands and Top 50 models below.