The first quarter of 2026 closed with moderate growth for the European car market, which saw a 3.7% increase compared to 2025. Outperforming the broader market trend, Stellantis reported strong momentum, successfully increasing both its vehicle registrations and its overall market share.
According to Emanuele Cappellano, Chief Operating Officer for Enlarged Europe, the first three months of 2026 consolidated a recovery process initiated late last year. The growth is driven by a business turnaround plan centered firmly on customer needs and a balanced offering of functionality, design, and powertrains.
Q1 2026: The Core Numbers
Stellantis led the pack as the only Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) among the top 10 to successfully increase its market share in the first quarter.
| Performance Metric | Q1 2026 Result | Year-over-Year Growth |
| Total Vehicles Registered | 696,676 units | +5.0% |
| Stellantis Market Share | 17.5% | +0.21 percentage points |
| Share (with Leapmotor) | 18.1% | +0.73 percentage points |
| LCV Market Share (Pro One) | 28.7% (Ranked #1 in Europe) | – |
| Hybrid Segment Share | 21.6% (Ranked #1 in Europe) | – |
Brand & Regional Highlights
The 5% overall growth was fueled by exceptional performances from several core brands and key European markets.
Top Performing Brands (YoY Sales Growth):
- FIAT: +25.4%
- Lancia: +15.7%
- Citroën: +12.3%
- Opel/Vauxhall: +10.5%
Top Performing Regional Markets:
- Austria: +31.1%
- Poland: +18.0%
- Germany: +15.2% (Market share increased by 1.2 points to 12.7%)
- Italy: +6.7%
- Spain: +6.1%
Country Spotlights: Dominating Local Markets
Stellantis achieved remarkable milestones in several of its major domestic markets during the quarter.
Italy: Stellantis models entirely dominated the sales charts. The top five best‑selling models in the country are all produced by the group:
- Fiat Pandina
- Jeep Avenger
- Fiat Grande Panda
- Citroën C3
- Leapmotor T03Note: Leapmotor also officially became the leading brand in the Italian Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) segment.
France: Stellantis confirmed its absolute market leadership, capturing a market share approaching 31%. Furthermore, five Stellantis models ranked among the Top 10 best-sellers in the country.
A Wave of International Awards
Since the beginning of the year, the group’s models have received widespread international recognition across Europe:
- United Kingdom: The Fiat Grande Panda was named “Best Bargain” at the Top Gear Electric Vehicle Awards 2026 for its distinctive design and practicality.
- France: The Citroën ELO concept car was crowned Concept Car of the Year 2026 at the Trophées de L’Argus.
- Germany: The Abarth 500e secured its tenth “Best Mini Cars” award from Auto motor und sport (its second consecutive win). The new Opel Mokka GSE was named “Best Small Car” and received the Golden Steering Wheel 2025.
- Pan-European: The Grande Panda won the AUTOBEST CONQUEST Award 2026 in the Design category. The New Citroën C3 Aircross SUV was awarded “Best Users’ Car of Europe 2026” by the AUTOBEST jury.
Looking ahead, all eyes are now turning to the next key milestone: the Investor Day and presentation of Stellantis’ strategic plan, scheduled for May 21, 2026, in Detroit.