As Europe sinks, Fiat can rejoice: the Italian brand has recorded strong growth in worldwide sales, driven almost exclusively by its performance in South America. This dynamic performance masks serious difficulties in its historic market.
+23 % worldwide thanks to Brazil and Argentina
By compiling figures from the main markets where Fiat is still firmly established, the brand posted an impressive +23 % increase in registrations compared with the previous year, and +20 % compared with two years ago. This performance is almost entirely due to the explosion in sales in Brazil, which alone accounts for more than 50 % of Fiat's worldwide registrations, with 153,503 vehicles registered between January and April 2025, up 51 % on 2024.
The second boost came from Argentina, which surprised with 27,849 registrations, up +80 %. This makes it Fiat's third-largest market worldwide, overtaking Turkey, one of the brand's historic strongholds with its former best-seller Tipo (known locally as Egea).
Turkey, France, Spain: massive setbacks
Conversely, several historic countries are posting worrying underperformance. In Turkey, due to a lack of new products, Fiat lost 34 % of its volumes (20,911 units). In France, the decline was even more brutal at -46 % (6,459 units), as in Spain (-45 %) and the UK (-17 %). Even Japan, a small market for Fiat, saw sales fall by -16 %.
Europe in crisis...
The only European country that seems to be holding its own is Germany, with a modest increase of +6 % on last year (17,085 units). This performance may seem paradoxical, but it is largely due to the Fiat Ducato, which is counted among the brand's registrations in this country, whereas other countries distinguish between professional and private vehicles. If we remove the 11,602 Fiat Ducato registrations from January to April 2025, Germany falls to 5,483 registrations with the 500, 600, Tipo and Panda, less than France.
Fiat is paying dearly for its strategic mistakes on the Old Continent. The absence of the Fiat 500 hybrid, combined with production delays for the Grande Panda (presented in the summer of 2024, but production didn't start until the spring of 2025), are severely penalizing the brand. Worse still, labour problems at the Fiat Grande Panda factory are further complicating deliveries.
South America as a lifeline
With nearly 200,000 vehicles registered in Brazil and Argentina out of a total of 295,502 units worldwide, Fiat can breathe easy. The year 2024 could even turn out better than expected, thanks to the strength of these emerging markets. These countries now ensure the commercial survival of a brand whose European aura is waning.
Fiat is playing for big bucks. We'll have to wait until 2026 to see if the brand manages to revive itself in Europe, in particular with the (belated) arrival of the Fiat 500 hybrid, the full roll-out of the Fiat Grande Panda, and the possible presentation of new family SUVs due in the coming months, which would bolster the current underpowered range.
English 
French 
Italian 
Spanish 
Portuguese 
German 
Japanese 
Turkish
Okay, the absence of the 500 hybrid, the Panda's renewal, the Tipo's neglect, etc., are some of the causes of Fiat's poor sales in Europe, but don't you think that the main cause is the absence of a B-segment city car in the range, that of the Polo, Clio, 208, C3, Corsa, etc., once Fiat's workhorse with the 600, 127, Uno, Punto and G Punto?
this is the segment that Fiat wants to take over with the Grande Panda, even though it's an SUV.
exactly, fully agree. meanwhile the clio, the 208 fly on the european market, Fiat wants to compete with a Fiat 600, which is too small for family car, but to expensive, and has a sick 1.2 purtech engine...I still wonder why the FIAT CEO has not been fired yet. really. Fiat is now a total disaster. Even myself, who has beena fiat fan for 25 years, I switched to Toyota.....
Disappointed that the big panda is made outside Italy
Like the 500l, which was in Serbia, the old 500 in Poland and the Tipo in Turkey. All this under the FCA/Marchionne era.
I share your opinion fiat is a turinese italian car brand.
it should have continued to be built in our country and not in Poland.
Work for our people, then for others. Basta
Cuore napolitano
Der größte Fehler bei Fiat war den Franzosen das Kommando zu überlassen.
Jeder weiß wie Fusionen mit den Franzosen aussehen, die Entscheidungen werden nicht nach dem getroffen was nötig ist, sondern hauptsächlich "Frankreich zuerst".
Wer will die Franzosen Technik den in italienischen Auto haben?
Wer so was wollte hatte schon ein französisches Auto!
Der Tonale bei der italienischen Polizei spricht Bände!
Wenn sich das nicht schnell ändert geht's mit Fiat und Alfa in Europa komplett auf Null.
Der Tonale IST italisch.
Die Entwicklung, Platform, Produktionsstätte, Motoren etc. - alles noch von FCA (Fiat).
Er ist nur leider ein deutlicher Abstieg im Vergleich zu Giulia und Stelvio.
Der neue "Junior" hingegen ist ein verkappter PSA (2008, DS3 Cross, Mokka), mit den Peugeot Motoren.
Und wird in Polen (Tychy) gebaut.
Dort, wo vorher die 500 mit Verbrenner produziert wurden.
As said in another article of this kind, the brand's designs in Europe look like a toy car, while in Brazil (Strada, Argo and Mobi) and Argentina (Toro and Cronos) the styling is noticeably more 'serious' and also linked (like in Germany with the Ducato) with 'work utility' cars. Relying on the love of a brand (only) is a strategic error, as well as not covering properly the B segment in Europe (as another reader mentioned).
The fiat in Brazil is a different look, it's normal, they're prettier.
Höchste Zeit für den Grande Panda. Die sollen die Anlaufschwierigkeiten in Serbien schnell beseitigen. Der Grande Panda ist der Nachfolger des Punto. Als Hybrid ein echter Volks-Wagen!