In March, the Italian automotive market, somewhat surprisingly, reverses course and records a increase in registrations of 6,2% compared to the same month in 2024, with 172.223 cars sold against 162.140 the previous year. A positive sign, but not enough to compensate for a first quarter in contraction: from January to March, in fact, registrations fell by 1,6%, stopping at 443.906 units compared to 451.320 in the same period of 2024.
While the March growth could suggest a trend reversal, the the overall picture remains fragile. The market continues to suffer when compared to pre-pandemic levels: despite an improvement compared to February, sales remain 17,5% lower than in 2019. A gap that highlights a still uncertain recovery, influenced by several critical factors. On the one hand, regulatory instability on incentives continues to slow down demand, generating uncertainty among consumers. On the other, trade tensions and duties on electric cars and those coming from the US risk weighing further on the sector in the coming months, slowing down a recovery that still appears fragile and discontinuous.
Electric cars: sales slowly growing
The Italian market also grows in March electric cars. The Enrollment page reached 9.373 units in March, marking an increase of 77,7% compared to the same month in 2024. The market share rose to 5,4% from 3,2% a year ago, while in the first quarter of 2025, 23.019 electric cars were registered, with an increase of 75,4% year-on-year and a market share of 5,2%.
According l 'Unrae, (National Union of Foreign Vehicle Representatives), however, the transition towards electric is still proceeding too slowly, with the Italian market struggling to keep pace of other European countries, also due to the lack of structural incentives and inadequate charging infrastructures.
Classic power supplies suffer, hybrid dominates
Le traditional engines continue to lose ground. The petrol car fell by 4,4 percentage points, reaching 26,7% market share in March and 26,5% in the first quarter. Diesel suffered an even more marked decline, stopping at 10,2% in the month and at 9,8% in the quarter (-5,4 percentage points).
Le ibride dominate the market with 45,4% of monthly share and 45% in the first quarter, divided between full-hybrid (12,8%) and mild-hybrid (32,6%). plug-in hybrids grew by one percentage point, reaching 4,2% in the quarter, thanks above all to the arrival of new Chinese models, including BYD, which is increasingly present in the Italian market.
City cars and SUVs drive sales
The market city car confirms itself as the most dynamic, with the Fiat Panda continuing to dominate sales thanks to its affordability and versatility, exceeding 12.500 units registered. The Lancia Ypsilon and Toyota Yaris Cross follow at a distance, but with solid numbers, both over 5.000 units sold.
In parallel, the SUV segment maintains a sustained growth, with an annual increase of 6,8%. The Dacia Duster stands out among the favorites of Italian motorists, while the Jeep Avenger benefits from the push of the electric and mild hybrid versions, gaining further market share. Among the Compact SUVs, the Volkswagen T-Roc continues to enjoy success, strengthening the presence of the German brand in the Italian panorama.
Le sedan show more modest growth, with the Tesla Model 3 recording a slight increase in registrations, supported by incentives and discount strategies. In the segment of luxury cars, Ferrari and Porsche confirm their positive trend, maintaining a loyal customer base despite reduced sales volumes.
La General ranking of best-selling models in March 2025 confirms the consolidated trend of the previous months. The Fiat Panda is firmly in first place, followed by the Dacia Sandero (5.176) and the Citroen C3 (5.116). The Jeep Avenger stands out with 4.957 units, while the Peugeot 208 almost reaches 5.000 registrations, stopping at 4.856. The ranking is closed by Toyota Yaris (3.793), Mg ZsS (3.775), Toyota Yaris Cross (3.735), Nissan Qashqai (3.581) and the Opel Corsa (3.559).
Tesla Rises in Italy but Collapses in Europe
Tesla he lived one contrasting march. In Italy, the brand has registered a strong rebound with an increase in 51,3% registrations, reaching 2.217 units sold and a market share of 1,3% even if the quarterly data remains negative (-6,8%), with 3.469 total registrations.
A European level, on the other hand, is pitch black: -37% in France, -63,9% in Sweden, -65,6% in Denmark. In Spain, there was a 34% rebound in March, but the quarter remains negative (-12%). In general, Elon Musk's brand is suffering from the reduction of incentives in some key markets and growing competition from European and Chinese manufacturers.
And in fact its main rival, the Chinese one Byd, continues to grow in Italy, confirming its 1% share for the second consecutive month.
Stellantis: Sales Stable But -9,8% in First Three Months of 2025
After a difficult start to the year, Stellantis managed to stabilize sales in March, maintaining a market share of 30,3%. In the month it 52.254 cars registered, in line with last year. A minimal result considering that In the first quarter the group recorded a decline of 9,8%, with 135.762 registrations compared to 150.431 in 2024.
The group maintains the leadership in Italy, thanks above all to sales of the Fiat Panda, Jeep Avenger and Lancia Ypsilon, the latter benefiting from strong promotions in view of the launch of the new electric generation. Bad, however, at European level where the Italian-French group recorded a 2,5% drop, suffering in the French and German markets, but with good results in the electric range with the new Opel, Peugeot and Fiat models.
