Business · Companies · 7 hrs ago
Italian car registrations rise 4.8% in October as recovery slows
Italy registered 131,921 cars in October, 4.8% more than in the same month of 2025 and the 11th monthly increase in a row.
But growth slowed from 9.9% in September, and registrations were still 13.8% below 2019 levels.
Dealers reported weak orders and showroom visits: 56% said orders were low, while 62% said few people were visiting showrooms.
Promotions and dealer-registered “zero-kilometre” cars also supported sales, accounting for 14.3% of the market.
Hybrid cars remained the leading choice, with non-plug-in hybrids taking 49% of registrations and plug-in hybrids reaching 12.7%.
Fully electric cars made up 6.1%, down from 7.6% in September after government incentives ran out.
Unrae expects 1.64 million registrations for all of 2026, then forecasts a 3.4% fall in 2027, and calls for measures to make low-emission cars more affordable.
Italian car registrations rose 4.8% in October to 131,921 vehicles compared with the same month in 2025.
The increase was the 11th consecutive monthly rise, but growth slowed from 9.9% in September.
Registrations in the first ten months of 2026 reached 1,400,991, up 8.3% year on year.
Chinese groups including BYD, SAIC, Chery and Leapmotor registered more than 18,000 vehicles, more than double their total a year earlier.
The market remained 13.8% below its 2019 level, while dealerships reported weaker confidence and low order levels.
- Who
- Carmakers and vehicle buyers in Italy; Chinese groups were among the main drivers of October’s growth.
- What
- Italian car registrations rose 4.8% year on year to 131,921 vehicles.
- When
- October 2026.
- Where
- Italy.
- Why
- The sources attribute growth partly to Chinese groups, promotions and self-registrations. They do not give a single definitive cause.
Federauto
Unrae
Policy approach
Federauto
Federauto says growth in hybrids and difficulties for electric cars support greater technological neutrality in European policies.
Unrae
Unrae calls for structural measures to make low-emission cars more accessible, including changes to company-car taxation.
Registrations rose 9.9% year on year.
Italy registered 131,921 cars, up 4.8% from October 2025.
Registrations reached 1,400,991, an 8.3% increase year on year.
- October registrations
- 131,921 vehicles
- October year-on-year change
- +4.8%
- First ten months of 2026
- 1,400,991 registrations; +8.3%
- Chinese groups’ October registrations
- More than 18,000 vehicles
- Chinese groups’ market share
- 13.8%, up from 6.2% a year earlier
- Market gap from 2019
- More than 224,000 vehicles, or 13.8%
3 sources
What people are saying
In the first ten months of the year, almost one in two electric cars registered in Italy was made in China.
In this context, it is essential to continue working to create adequate market conditions at national level.