WASHINGTON, United States — Common Motors led US car gross sales within the first quarter, in response to firm stories Tuesday, because the trade braces for President Donald Trump’s incoming tariffs this week.
GM mentioned its US gross sales jumped 17 % within the quarter from the identical interval a yr in the past, reporting 693,363 deliveries.
Fellow main automakers Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Kia additionally reported gross sales will increase, whereas Ford logged a small decline and Jeep and Chrysler guardian Stellantis slid extra sharply.
READ: Japanese carmakers submit increased Q1 U.S. gross sales forward of Trump tariffs
Tariffs of 25 % on imported automobiles and sure elements are set to kick in Thursday, and economists warn that the fees might trigger common auto costs to surge by hundreds of {dollars} over time.
Trump can also be resulting from announce “reciprocal” levies midweek — which might hit imports from varied international locations — on a slew of different items to deal with commerce practices that his administration deems unfair.
The tariffs might additional have an effect on US neighbors Canada and Mexico, each key gamers in North American car manufacturing provide chains.
READ: Trump auto tariffs strike at coronary heart of North American commerce
Mannequin turnover
“GM’s gross sales progress outpaced each different main automaker, and the driving drive is our portfolio,” mentioned Rory Harvey, GM’s president of world markets.
The corporate pointed to gross sales progress in its Chevrolet and Cadillac manufacturers, with will increase seen amongst electrical car fashions as nicely.
In the meantime, Toyota Motor North America reported 0.9 % progress in car gross sales to 570,269 models for the quarter.
Its government vice chairman Mark Templin mentioned the corporate continued to “see regular gross sales from our Toyota and Lexus manufacturers due partially to improved stock ranges and new fashions.”
“We’re additionally seeing our gross sales mixture of electrified automobiles growing,” Templin mentioned in a press release.
Honda’s gross sales have been up 5.3 % from a yr in the past within the first quarter, these of Hyundai have been up 10 %, and Kia gross sales rose round 11 %.
However US auto big Ford reported a 1.3-percent drop in US gross sales — to 501,291 automobiles — from the identical interval in 2024.
The decline was primarily as a result of discontinuation of sure fashions and the timing of rental fleet gross sales, the corporate mentioned.
However its first quarter figures have been higher than a forecast by automotive analysis agency Edmunds.
Ford maintained in a press release that it noticed “robust retail gross sales in March,” because of gross sales of its best-selling F-Sequence pickup vehicles and the Ranger and Maverick fashions.
Stellantis blamed comparable results for its 12-percent year-on-year tumble within the first quarter, with fashions from manufacturers like Dodge and Alfa Romeo going off the market.
It added that new fashions have been on the best way and pointed to increased gross sales — up virtually 14 % — in figures corrected for the impact.
‘Liberation Day’
Upcoming tariffs solid a pall over the auto trade, nevertheless, on condition that automobile elements might be focused together with imported automobiles.
READ: Trump set to unleash ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs
JPMorgan analysts lately estimated that over 80 % of Ford’s US gross sales are produced domestically. The corresponding determine for Honda was round 68 %, Toyota about 57 % and GM, 53 %.
However lots of the parts going into constructing these automobiles are imported.
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The American Automotive Coverage Council representing the massive three automakers — Ford, GM and Jeep-maker Stellantis — have warned that tariffs needs to be carried out in a method that avoids growing prices for shoppers and preserves the trade’s competitiveness.