According to Gasgoo Data, passenger car registrations in Italy reached 139,356 in September 2026, up 9.9% year on year (up 100.8% month on month). BEV and PHEV penetration stood at 18.7% (BEV 7.6%, PHEV 11.1%), while HEVs and MHEVs retained their dominant position with a 50.7% share.
Chinese brands posted a total of 18,333 registrations, doubling their market share to 13.2% from 6.5% a year earlier. BYD topped Chinese brands with 5,159 registrations, ranking ninth overall (up 108.8% year on year); BYD Seal U DM-i (2,144 units) led the PHEV segment.
Brand Landscape
Fiat retained the top spot with 15,906 units (up 29% year on year), followed by Toyota (10,657 units), Volkswagen (8,849 units), Peugeot (7,260 units) and Dacia (6,720 units). BYD broke into ninth place overall, posting the fastest growth of any top-ten brand at 108.8%. At the model level, the Fiat Panda (10,378 units) led all models, followed by the Jeep Avenger (4,092 units) and Peugeot 3008 (3,780 units), with the MG ZS (2,510 units) also ranking among the top ten.
Electrification
BEV and PHEV penetration reached 18.7% (BEV 7.6%, PHEV 11.1%), with HEVs and MHEVs (50.7%) still dominant and ICE share easing to 30.6%. PHEV shares slipped 0.7 percentage points month on month, while BEV shares rose 1.0 percentage points. BYD dominated the PHEV segment, led by Seal U DM-i in first place and Atto 2 DM-i in second, while Dolphin Surf trailed closely behind Tesla.
Chinese Automaker Dynamics
BYD: With 5,159 registrations, No. 1 among Chinese brands and ninth overall, leading the PHEV segment while strengthening its BEV lineup; Seal U DM-i was the best-selling PHEV model.
OMODA & JAECOO: 4,649 units (up 184.9% year on year), a breakout performance driven by a multi-powertrain strategy.
MG: An established player with a comparatively modest 21.2% year-on-year growth; MG ZS is still ranked among the top ten models.
Leapmotor: As the T03's initial momentum has cooled, the B10 has begun ramping up, with 872 registrations this month.
Geely: Registrations grew steadily to 778, with distribution channels gradually improving but no breakout hit model yet.
Deepal: A new entrant in 2026, it crossed the 100-unit mark for the first time with 262 registrations this month and is still in the early stages of market establishment.
Strategic Outlook
Unlike Nordic markets, Italy remains a typical Southern European case: HEVs and MHEVs (50.7%) still dominate, with BEV and PHEV penetration at 18.7%. Under the conditions of "HEV and MHEV dominance, PHEV breakout and constrained BEV adoption," Chinese brands cannot rely on affordable BEVs alone. They need a multi-powertrain approach, a small-car/SUV dual lineup, deeper distribution channels and localized European operations to convert the 13.2% share into a sustainable mainstream presence and build a long-term foundation amid tariff and policy dynamics.
