Citroën shines in Italy in the first quarter of 2025 thanks to the C3 and Ami

Following a particularly successful 2024 in the Italian market, where Citroën stood out as the only Stellantis group brand to post growth, the 'chevrons' (the brand's famous logo) entered 2025 with renewed and justified optimism. Buoyed by the highly anticipated launch of its New C3, the brand confirms its positive momentum early in the year, showing notable growth, especially in the strategic private customer sales channel. These initial results reflect a warm reception for the new models and the continued relevance of Citroën's offerings to the Italian public.

A first quarter of 2025 marked by growth

The first quarter of 2025 confirms the positive trend observed for Citroën in Italy the previous year. According to data provided by Dataforce, the brand closed these first three months with very encouraging results. Overall, combining sales of passenger cars (PC) and light commercial vehicles (LCV), Citroën climbed to eighth place in the Italian market, capturing a market share of 4.2%. This is a solid performance that demonstrates the competitiveness of the range in a consistently challenging market.

However, one indicator is particularly watched and a source of satisfaction: performance in the private customer channel. This channel is often considered the truest reflection of a brand's and its models' actual appeal, as it directly involves the choices of end consumers, who are less influenced by corporate fleet strategies. In this crucial segment, Citroën recorded a market share of 4.9% in the first quarter of 2025. Even more significantly, this represents an increase of 0.1 percentage points compared to the same period in 2024. This growth, while seemingly modest, sends a strong signal: Citroën is gaining ground with "real" Italian buyers, those choosing the brand for their daily needs. This performance is undeniably driven by the successful launch of the New C3, whose arrival seems to be injecting new energy.

The new C3: an immediate hit in the Italian market

The undisputed star of the early year for Citroën in Italy is undoubtedly the New C3. Its recent commercial launch is already translating into impressive sales figures, validating the brand's strategy for this flagship model. Whether looking at March alone or the entire first quarter, the New C3 establishes itself as an essential benchmark.

In its all-electric version, the New ë-C3 takes the top spot for electric car sales in the B-segment. This success demonstrates not only the growing interest of Italians in electric mobility but also the relevance of Citroën's offering: an accessible, versatile electric car with a comfortable range (up to 440 km / 273 miles WLTP urban cycle) thanks to its 44 kWh battery and 113 hp motor, plus the convenience of fast charging (26 minutes to go from 20% to 80%).

Simultaneously, the petrol version of the New C3 is equally successful, emerging as the best-selling petrol car in Italy across all segments during this first quarter. This remarkable performance highlights its versatility and ability to meet the expectations of a broad customer base that still prefers this engine type.

In the overall sales rankings, across all powertrains and segments, the New C3 achieves an excellent third place in the Italian market for Q1. This is an extremely positive reception that follows the glorious lineage of its predecessors. Since its initial launch in 2002, the Citroën C3 has sold over 5.6 million units, a true bestseller whose success has never faded. This new generation continues Citroën's bold ambition: to offer an innovative concept, assertive design, benchmark comfort (notably with Advanced Comfort suspensions and seats), useful everyday features, all with an attractive price positioning. The warm welcome from Italians is therefore a very good omen for the brand's future sales volumes in the country.

Citroën Ami: still the undisputed leader in urban mobility

While the C3 captures much of the spotlight, we shouldn't forget the other phenomenon in the Citroën range: the Ami. This small electric quadricycle, an innovative and accessible urban mobility solution, continues its successful journey in Italy. Despite the arrival of competitors, including from within the Stellantis group like the Fiat Topolino, Citroën Ami confirms its leadership in the electric quadricycle segment.

With an impressive market share of 40.4% in the first quarter of 2025, the Ami demonstrates that its unique concept and clever positioning continue to appeal to a diverse clientele – from younger drivers (accessible from 14 years old in Italy with an AM license, and similarly accessible under specific regulations in other European countries) to professionals needing an agile, zero-emission city transport tool. Its ability to maintain such dominance against increased competition speaks volumes about the strength of its identity and its relevance as an answer to sustainable urban mobility challenges.

In conclusion, Citroën delivered an excellent first quarter in 2025 in the Italian market. The brand is riding the positive wave from 2024, driven by the successful launch of the New C3, which appeals in both electric and petrol forms, and by the resilience of the Ami, which maintains its leading position. The growth seen in the private customer sales channel is particularly encouraging, signalling strong adoption by Italian consumers.

The near future also looks promising. As the C3 hits its stride, all eyes are turning to the imminent arrival of the new Citroën C3 Aircross in Italian dealerships. This B-segment SUV, which will adopt the C3's design cues and philosophy while offering more space and versatility – notably with a segment-first 7-seat option – has all the ingredients to achieve similar success. If the reception for the C3 Aircross is as enthusiastic as that for the C3, Citroën's strong performance in Italy is not only set to continue but could even intensify in the coming months, confirming the brand's resurgence in this strategic market.