Fiat sees European sales recovery driven by Grande Panda

Fiat is seeing a recovery in the European market following a significant decline in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, the manufacturer reported a 25 percent increase in European sales, adding over 27,000 registrations compared to the previous year. This growth is largely driven by the new Grande Panda, which recorded more than 21,000 registrations in Europe during the first three months of the year.

Despite the success of newer models like the Grande Panda and the 500 Hybrid, a paradox exists in the Italian market. The older Panda model, which utilizes a platform dating back to 2011, continues to significantly outperform its successor. Between January and July, 71,312 units of the older Panda were registered in Italy, compared to 25,983 for the Grande Panda. The legacy model accounted for 6.7 percent of all new car registrations in Italy during that period.

The new Grande Panda is available in mild hybrid and fully electric versions. The electric model features a unique integrated 4.5-meter retractable spiral charging cable located beneath the front bonnet, designed to assist in emergency charging situations.