In the first six months of 2026, the car financing and leasing sector in Italy is growing, in line with the positive trend in sales, supported by new registrations and the holding of used vehicles. This is according to the Market Outlook Mobility study conducted by CRIF , which periodically provides a snapshot of the main indicators relating to the performance of car loans for private individuals, sole proprietorships, and Italian companies, based on the information assets of the EURISC Credit Information System.
- Car credit granted in Italy is growing in line with the increase in sales (+3.1%), and the average financing amount has risen to €19,100.
- Generalist finance companies increased their lending by almost 10%, with a 14.9% growth in new car loans.
- Among private individuals, those under 30 saw the most significant growth, with a 19.1% increase compared to the first half of 2025.
Between January and June 2026, new car registrations increased by 8.9% , while the used car market remained virtually stable , leading to a 3.1% increase in total sales . In this scenario , financing increased by 3.3% compared to the same period in 2025 , and the average financing amount reached €19,100 , compared to €18,300 in the first half of last year, consistent with the increase in price lists.
“The new edition of our Mobility Market Outlook highlights some interesting developments in the first half of the year: the sales market is holding up despite price increases due to multiple factors and is seeing growth in the average loan amount; generalist finance companies are increasing their lending not only in used vehicles, where they are traditionally more present, but also in new vehicles, a segment where captive and specialized finance companies have a much greater impact. This result is likely linked to the strong growth of Chinese car manufacturers, which have relied on finance companies already present in the Italian market. Also noteworthy is the growth in financing for young people under 30, which has seen the largest increase by age group,” states Simone Capecchi, Executive Director of CRIF.
Generalist financial companies and captives
The market share is split between captive and specialized companies at 60% and generalist financial companies at 40% . Generalist companies increased their disbursements by 9.6% compared to the first half of 2025, with growth of 14.9% for new cars and 6% for used cars , while captive and specialized companies remained essentially stable (-0.6%).
The portfolio mix remains very different between the two types of players: 83% of the financing for captive and specialized lenders is for new cars , compared to 47% for general lenders, where 53% is for used vehicles. The average amount for a new car is €22,300 in the market, while for used vehicles it drops to €15,200. Overall, financing for used vehicles has increased by 4.4% and that for new vehicles by 2.9%.
Trend by customer and product type
The growth involved almost all customer segments: private individuals , who represent 71.7% of the total financed, grew by +4.3% , joint-stock companies (21.9% of the total) by +1.4% , while sole proprietorships (which hold a share of 6.4%) remained substantially stable ( -0.5% ).
This edition of the CRIF Outlook confirms the different user propensity for the two instruments: private individuals choose loans almost exclusively, representing 96% of the total , while corporations are primarily oriented towards leasing, with a share of 74% . For sole proprietorships, the distribution is more balanced, with 53% loans and 47% leasing. The latter shows growth for corporations (+4.9%) and businesses (+2%), while loans are increasing for private individuals (+4.7%).
Furthermore, leasing remains the solution with the highest average amounts, regardless of the type of customer: for private individuals, the average amount is €15,400 for loans and €46,400 for leasing, for businesses it is €24,900 and €49,000, and for corporations it is €24,100 and €55,800.
Focus on private customers: the trend of those under 30
Among private individuals , those under 30 saw the most significant growth in credit granted, at +19.1% , compared to other age groups: +4.6% for 30-40 year-olds, +6.7% for 40-45 year-olds, and +5.9% for 45-50 year-olds, while 50-60 year-olds recorded +2.8%. Financing decreased for older age groups, however, with -1.1% for 60-70 year-olds and -8.3% for those over 70. Growth among young people affected both generalist financial companies (+21.1%) and captive and specialized ones (+16.7%).
The quality of car credit
In the auto financing and leasing sector, the default rate 12 months after disbursement stands at 0.67% , and defaults are decreasing, both for captive and specialized lenders and for general lenders, whose disbursement remains riskier, with a rate of 0.91% versus 0.43% for captive and specialized lenders. These levels remain lower than other forms of consumer credit.
“The default rate remains low and is further improving, reaching significantly lower levels than other forms of consumer credit. This figure highlights how car financing represents a sustainable tool for both families and industry professionals, supporting access to mobility in the country’s economic climate, which is still marked by elements of uncertainty,” states Antonello Deledda, Executive Director of CRIF.
Territorial analysis
The study highlights a positive trend in financing in almost all major Italian regions , with the sole exception of Piedmont (-3.8%) . Among the regions with the most significant growth are Sicily (+10.9%) , Campania (+6.6%) , and Puglia (+6.4%) , followed by Lazio (+5%), Calabria (+3.9%), and Lombardy (+3%). Average amounts are higher in the Northern Italian regions.
From a risk perspective, the highest-than-average default rates are recorded in the Southern regions, but they are still lower than the average for consumer credit in the same regions.
About CRIF
Established in 1988 in Bologna (Italy), CRIF has a global presence, operating over four continents (Europe, America, Africa and Asia).
Today, CRIF is the leader in Italy for retail credit management and lending support solutions and, thanks to the expertise acquired over more than 30 years of activity in highly competitive markets, it is the leading group in continental Europe in the banking information sector and one of the main operators on an international level for integrated business and commercial information and credit and marketing management services.
For more information, visit https://www.crif.com.
Source: crif.it
