Italian vehicle market shows mixed 2026 trends across commercial and used sectors

In the first half of 2026 the Italian commercial vehicle market displayed a two‑speed pattern. Registrations of light commercial vehicles (up to 3.5 tonnes) fell 4.7 % to 94,113 units, while heavy trucks above 3.5 tonnes rose 4 % to about 15,000 units, driven mainly by vehicles over 16 tonnes. Diesel remained the dominant fuel, accounting for 77.6 % of light‑vehicle registrations and increasing to 97.4 % among heavy trucks. Hybrid gasoline models grew 67 % and plug‑in hybrids surged 238 %, whereas electric and gasoline models contracted.

The used‑car market saw a 3.1 % decline in May 2026, with 444,625 ownership transfers, but the year‑to‑date total remained 0.7 % higher than the same period in 2025. Diesel‑powered used cars still held a strong position at 37.9 % market share, closely followed by gasoline at 38.6 %, while hybrids and plug‑in hybrids continued to gain ground.

Regional data showed Lombardy leading in used‑car transfers (16.2 % of the national total) and the north‑west continuing to dominate commercial‑vehicle registrations.